Mysticism, Magick, and Alchemy
by SlashStag
Summary: Harry is going into his sixth year at Hogwarts. Discoveries varying from powers to family secrets, he is supported by Sirius, Remus and his friends. HPDM RLSB more pairings if requested, MPREG not your thing, dont read. flames will be laughed at and share
1. Thoughts of Harry

Disclaimer: Though I think this is completely pointless, considering if I owned any of this I wouldn't be writing _fan fiction_; I do not own anything you recognize.

It was one of the hottest days of the summer and Harry Potter was sitting in front of his barred window, thinking.

He had led five of his friends into danger and almost brought his godfather to his death. He shuddered to think what would have happened if Remus hadn't pushed Sirius out of the way of Bellatrix's spell. If it wasn't for the bubbling pit of fright in his stomach at that moment, Harry would have paused to admire the werewolf's speed and reflexes.

Ah, Remus. His old professor had told him off in the Hospital wing for calling him 'Professor', as he had not been for three years now. Sirius had laughed himself silly at the sight, as had the others in the room.

Harry's thoughts turned to his friends then. They repeatedly told Harry it was not his fault but he still felt partially guilty. They wrote him everyday, and Hermione once, in a spurt of exasperation, threatened him… with a spoon, matches, and something about knowing deserts no one knows about in the Americas. Ron told him that the wounds the brains had left healed, though Madam Pomfrey could do nothing about the scars; 'Thoughts and memories scar more then anything ever could.' Harry had thought when reading the letter, unconsciously rubbing his bicep. The curse Dolohov used on Hermione had affected her lungs and broken three of her ribs but she insisted she was alright. She had finished taking her potions the day before and was back to her old self, much to the exasperation of Ron. Ginny was her usual hyper self; her ankle fixed shortly after they arrived at Hogwarts, though she did complain about its tendency to suddenly give out while walking. Neville had written him about how his grandmother had rewarded his courage and loyalty towards Harry with a new wand. Harry couldn't be happier for his friend, knowing that Neville would find school much easier with his own wand. And Luna... well Luna was just as loony as before. However, the group had come to respect her. This was because she gives everybody hope, in her own weird way, and she can take you to the wildest places when you were with her without even leaving the room. Harry and the others had come to appreciate and admire that in her.

Hermione was driving everyone crazy with her constant worries about O.W.L.s. They had all reassured her that they would all do fine, but secretly, Harry was just as worried. He was particularly concerned about his Potions O.W.L.

Yuk. Potions, his worst, most hated class. Harry had to wonder if he was really as bad as he was told or if Snape always somehow managed to tweak his potions.

Speaking of Snape, the greasy git, Harry silently wondered if his professor had taught him Occlumency the right way or if he gave Harry headaches on purpose. Though, as much as Snape hated him, Harry doubted the man's intention was to open his mind to Voldemort even more.

Oh, if he had only practiced his Occlumency... he could have avoided this whole mess. Conducting his schoolmates into a trap, no matter how well setup it was, was not one of Harry's goals in life.

Harry snapped out of his thoughts when he realized his thoughts had gone from the Department of Mysteries to potions and back again.


	2. Home at Last?

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognize.

"What are you thinking about?"

Harry jumped and turned around in lightning fast speed just to see his godfather arms crossed, smiling at him curiously.

"Sneak up on me, why don't you? It's not like I have a psycho after me or anything," Harry said sarcastically.

Sirius chuckled. "Sorry. I was watching you for awhile and I saw a series of emotions cross your face." He started moving towards Harry, continuing, "Guilt, amusement, remorse, worry, guilt, determination... Did I mention guilt? I had to ask." This was said with an air of casualty about him, but Harry noticed the traces of worry and sternness.

Harry rolled his eyes. "My thoughts are going around in circles. But why do I have a feeling you are not just here to talk about my thoughts?" Harry asked, sitting down on his bed.

"Because I'm not," Sirius sighed, sitting down next to him. He appeared nervous and was looking at Harry wearily.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, concerned by his godfather sudden change in moods.

Sirius sighed and looked at the boy he had come to see as his son. "We need to talk."

"You're not going to give me the talk are you? Lupin already took care of that." Harry said only half-joking, shuddering at the memory.

Sirius tried not to laugh... he didn't quite accomplish it.

"Hey!" Harry protested, "It's not funny!" Sirius tried to get a hold of himself while Harry said, "Besides, it was your bottle of firewhiskey that he used to get through it."

That sobered Sirius right up. "Hmm. Well, anyway," Sirius continued still, glaring at an amused Harry, "I don't know how to put this, so I'm just going to come out and say it and you have to promise me you won't hate me after I'm done, please?" Sirius said quickly, very fidgety by now.

"There is nothing you could do that could make me hate you," Harry assured him.

Sirius smiled softly and said, "I'm going to take this slowly so you will be able to digest it all, ok?" Harry nodded in agreement. "Ok. I'm married."

Harry's eyebrows shot up. "Really?" he asked incredulously.

Sirius was pleased to see that his expression was not one of anger but mere curiosity and shock. He allowed himself a small smile and answered, "Really, really." He took a deep breath, "To Remus."

Harry's eyes went wide. "What?" he gasped. The worried expression his godfather was giving him went unnoticed. Harry had a small smile on his face. "Wow."

"Wow?" Sirius was breathing heavily before he noticed the smile on Harry's face. His eyes rolled back and he fell backwards on the bed. "You don't hate me?"

Harry looked down at him. "I told you before. Nothing you could ever do could make me hate you," he reassured as he pulled Sirius back up to a sitting position. "I'm glad you're happy. Besides, I'm a lot more observant then people expect me to be. You didn't really think we believed the 'friendly' hug you gave him in the shrieking shack did you? I just didn't know it went this serious."

Sirius blushed, then he said, "Well, that takes care of most things I came here to tell you. Next subject: You remember how Dumbledore rounded up all those Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry nodded, frowning. This was not one of his favorite topics. "One of them was Pettigrew." Sirius said barely containing his enthusiasm.

"And?" Harry queried impatiently.

"And… I get a trial the 29th!" He broke out into a huge grin.

"Sirius! That's great!" Harry embraced him, truly happy for his godfather.

Sirius let go of Harry and looked at his face. "Come live with me."

"What?" Harry asked, shocked.

Sirius took a deep breath and explained, "Technically, I'm your guardian, and if you are truly ok with me and Remus being together, I want you to come live with us." Sirius looked nervous at Harry's expression.

"Before I answer that," Harry said with a sad look on his face, "I'm going to ask you a question and you have to answer it honestly."

Sirius looked confused, "Okay." He was through hiding anything from his god-son. It had gotten him in trouble last year and if he could help it Harry was going to keep out of trouble this year.

"What do you know about the prophecy?"

Sirius sighed and looked at Harry seriously, "Harry, if I knew... I would tell you, you have to believe me. But I don't, the only thing I know is that it's about you and Voldemort-"

Harry cut him off by raising his hand, "I know what it says Sirius, although I wish I didn't. I think better you and Remus decide you want me living with you, you guys should know what you're getting yourselves into."

"And what is that?" said a new voice from the doorway. They turned and saw none other then Remus Lupin himself leaning against the doorframe with a satisfied look on his face.

Harry eyed him suspiciously, "What did you do?"

"Do, Harry?" Remus asked, grinning innocently, "What ever do you mean?"

Harry smirked, "I recognize that self-satisfied look on your face from when you made that wad of gum fly into Peeves's nostril. What did you do?" Harry asked once more. Sirius looked both amused and delighted at the information he was getting and sat quietly watching the exchange.

Remus dropped the act and said, without a hint of remorse in his voice, "I hexed those brainless twats you call your relatives so they can't talk for a week. But that's not the point," he said getting back to the subject, "What, pray tell, are we 'getting ourselves into'?"

"Right," Harry took a deep breath and recited the words that were haunting him since the end of term,

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

Harry let his voice trail off as he looked at his father figure's reactions. Sirius looked both shocked and about to cry. Remus looked a little shocked and sympathetic. '_Okay,' _Harry thought to himself, _'At least they're not running away screaming'_ Harry held his breath as he waited for either one to speak.

Remus finally broke the tense silence by saying, "How exactly is this supposed to change out feelings toward wanting you to come live with us?"

Harry looked at him, "Gee, I don't know. Maybe the fact the normal people wouldn't want Voldemort's destined enemy living with them?"

"Since when are we normal?" Sirius asked rhetorically, "Here am I, the escaped innocent convict, with my werewolf lover and husband, and the Boy-Who-Lived as my god-son. Whether you come live with us or not, we are not normal and Voldemort is still going to be after us."

"He's right. For once in his life," Remus said, making Sirius glare and Harry smile a little. "He has been chasing me forever because I'm one of the few werewolves that refused to go to the dark side, Sirius he has been chasing since our 7th year because he is a Black. And you... well he has been after you since way before you were born."

"And personally, I would very offended if you didn't come live with us just because of some prophecy that states you will have to kill that sociopath." Sirius said, pointing.

Harry laughed and nodded his head, "Okay."

Sirius and Remus beamed, "Excellent." They exclaimed.

Suddenly a thought struck Harry, "Sirius, does Dumbledore know about this?"

Sirius looked at him oddly, "Yes, why do you ask?"

"Because as long as Harry is able to call this place 'Home' nobody can harm him. Albus, however, overlooked one fact. Harry has always been in danger, even with Lily's blood relatives, because... truly, you have never been able to call here 'Home' have you?" Lupin asked Harry. Harry smiled sadly and shook his head.

"That settles it then. Come on Harry. We've got to get you packed and it's already 9:30. Molly is going to have a fit." Sirius muttered to himself.

Harry and Remus smiled and got on to packing.

Harry was going home at last.

A/N: As I'm sure you've noticed, due to the … comments… about my short chapters I've combined some chapters together. I know it's been two weeks since I've updated but last week I had a bunch of homework and then this week I caught -nasty- flu. I'm still sick, but I thought I should give you a break since I'm going to Brazil the 22nd and only coming back the 12th so I don't know when I'll be able to update, or if I'll even have computer access down there. So. Here you go. I'll give you another chapter before I go if I get enough reviews. ;)

Tchau

SlashStag


	3. Breakfast, Panick, Comfort

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognize.

They arrived at Grimauld Place via portkey. Harry just finished picking himself off the floor when he was tackled and almost knocked down again by Hermione,

"Oh Harry! I'm so glad you are here! How are you? Oh, what a silly question, you're horrible-" Between the extremely tight hug and her babble Harry managed to choke out,

"Hermione as much as I love you, my lungs need air."

Hermione let go and kissed his cheek. She smiled sheepishly. Ron came down the stairs with Ginny.

"Hey, Harry." Ron said giving him a brotherly hug.

"Hey, Ron. What's been going on?"

"Ah. Alas, we are still at war with the house." Ron replied dramatically. Harry chuckled and turned to hug Ginny,

"Hi, Gin."

"Hi, Harry."

"Why don't you four go upstairs and we'll call you when dinner's ready?" Remus said smiling. They all went upstairs with Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage in hand.

When they were all sitting down on the beds Harry finally confessed, "I've got something to tell you guys." They all looked up at him expectantly. "You know how the prophecy Voldemort was after?" They all nodded.

"I thought it broke?" Ginny said, her eyebrows furrowed.

"It did," Harry explained, "But that wasn't the only record of it. I know what it says." They all stared at him wide-eyed.

"What does it say?" Hermione whispered.

"Well, basically it says that either I have to kill Voldemort or he has to kill me. 'Neither can live while the other survives'."

Harry looked around for their reactions. Hermione had gone into deep thought mode, no doubt thinking about books that could help. Ginny had a look of understanding and a small sympathetic smile on her lips. Ron, however, had a look of determination upon his features and said,

"We are going to be there beside you the whole way and when you're facing him," When Harry opened his mouth to protest, he continued on fiercely, "And just you try to stop us."

Harry sighed, "Is trying to push you away going to do any good?"

"No, and if you try I'll be forced to bat-bogey you." Ginny said, a smile tugging at her lips. Then she looked around and frowned, "Where's Hermione?"

"Right here," She answered from the door, a tray of tea in her hands. They all stared at her blankly.

"What? I thought we all could use some tea." She explained. She put the tray down and handed Harry his.

"Thanks." He said, amused by her reaction to everything. He gulped it down and they started to talk about Quidditch. Harry felt sleepy so he laid down and put his head on Ginny's lap, who was sitting near the headboard. She grinned down at him and started playing with his hair. He fell asleep listening to Ron talk about who would be the quidditch captain.

When Mrs. Weasley announced dinner was ready, Remus went upstairs to get the four teenagers. When he opened the door he was surprised by what he found. Harry was asleep; his head resting on Ginny's lap and the others were talking about something. His surprise turned to worry.

"Why is Harry asleep?" Three heads snapped up at his question.

"I slipped him a dreamless sleep potion. Oh, don't look at me like that. Harry hasn't had a decent night's sleep in over a year now." Hermione explained.

Remus smiled at the girl Harry considered a sister, "Okay. Dinner's ready so why don't you just let him sleep and go get some food?"

The three friends went downstairs. Remus righted Harry out on the bed and put a blanket over him. He ran a hand through Harry's already messy hair and sighed before following the others down.

"Where's Harry?" Sirius asked, worried. Remus smiled,

"He's sleeping. His so-called best friend drugged his drink." Sirius's eyebrows raised and he looked at Ron.

"Not me." Ron answered to the look he was getting, "Her." He said pointing to Hermione. Sirius's surprised gaze turned to Hermione.

"Would everyone stop looking at me like that? The boy hasn't had a good night's sleep since 4th year, so I put a small amount of Dreamless sleep potion in his tea. Is it so bad that I want my brother to take care of himself?" She said, defensively. Everyone (the weasley clan, Sirius, Remus, Kingsley and Tonks) looked surprised at her outburst for a second before returning to what they were doing. Mrs. Weasely put dinner on the table and the night ended on a happy note… for now.

(I could just leave it here…. But I'm going on vacation soon, so I wont. Aren't I nice?)

Sirius Black was awake at 8:30, as was everybody else in Grimauld Place, with the exception of Harry. Everyone was in the dining room waiting for Molly Weasley's delicious breakfast.

"Sirius, would you wake up Harry? It's almost time for breakfast," Molly asked him as she turned to go back into the kitchen. They had been civil to each other for the kids' sake. Mrs. Weasley still insisted that Sirius was seeing Harry as James and not as himself.

"Sure," he responded and made his way up the stairs. He walked to the room Harry was staying in and opened the door. It seemed his work was cut out for him because Harry was already up and changing. At the sound of the door opening his head snapped towards Sirius. Harry smiled at his godfather, and then spoke.

"Hey, sorry I slept so late. I have a sneaking suspicion 'Mione spiked my tea last night," he said, taking off his shirt.

Sirius chuckled, "Ah, you know her too well."

Harry threw a clean shirt on and walked toward Sirius.

"C'mon, I'm starving."

Sirius threw an arm around his godson and together they followed the sweet scent of Mrs. Weasley's cooking into the kitchen.

Hermione got up and hugged him as Sirius went to sit next to Remus.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked. Before he got a chance to answer Ron smirked,

"This coming from the girl who drugged him?" he said pointedly. Harry smiled and Ginny burst out laughing.

Hermione tried to glare at him while saying, "Keep in mind, Ronald, that your History of Magic grade depends on my notes."

"Mate, stop aggravating her, my grades depend on those too," Harry commented with a grin.

By now Ginny had fallen off her seat, completely beside herself with laughter. Harry rolled his eyes, helped her up and sat down beside her while she composed herself.

After she had done so, she turned to Harry. "And you, could you _please_ not go looking for trouble this year?" Ginny pleaded.

"I do not go looking for trouble!" Harry protested. "Trouble usually finds me _aaallll_ by itself!"

Ron pitched in then, "I'd say your worst 'trouble' was Cho, Harry." He laughed at that, and even Hermione had to stifle her laughter.

Harry looked at him. "That was low, Ron," he said with a straight face. "That hurt. Right here." He put his hand over his heart, and then promptly started laughing along with Ron.

The girls just rolled their eyes and smiled; even they couldn't disagree that the girl was a pain in the ass.

Remus' eyes were wide as he said, "Do you lot know how much you sounded like the Marauders just then?"

Sirius interrupted Remus, looking at Harry with a slightly suspicious look on his face. "And as proud as I am of that… Who's Cho, Harry?"

Harry rolled his eyes and Ginny took the liberty of answering Sirius.

"Harry's ex-girlfriend and the girl half the school dubbed 'waterworks'. Sirius, the girl would _not_ stop _crying!_ It's a pain to be around her, you're scared you'll say 'pass me the butter' and she'll start crying all over again."

Everyone was laughing by now. Just then, Mrs. Weasley came out with their breakfast, giving them all odd looks as she noticed Sirius rolling on the floor in hysterics.

After breakfast, Hermione convinced them all to get started on their summer revisions (or in Ginny's case, homework) to get it out of the way.

It was around 2:30 when Hermione let Harry go. He put his parchments, quill and ink on the coffee table in front of him, then got up and walked over to the armchair in front of the extinguished fireplace. He stared into it and let his mind wander while Hermione read and Ginny and Ron struggled to finish their work.

He thought about everything and nothing all at once and eventually totally spaced out, lost in his conflicting thoughts. Wondering if he would be able to free the world of danger, and keep his friends and the people he considered family safe. Questioning if it was even worth trying, and the berating himself for even thinking about it. He didn't have a choice on the matter, and if he could help it no other will die on his account. Determined to kill the bastard who made his life and the life of others miserable. The one that, by killing his parents, sent Sirius innocent to Azkaban and damned Remus to 12 years of loneliness without his mate. He was determined, yes, but he was not ready. He was to start training with Tonks in awhile- but would he be good enough? An hour later Remus came in to say that sandwiches were being served in the kitchen, when he noticed Harry staring endlessly into the dark fireplace. He went over to the three other teenagers and told them to get something to eat. When they had left he perched himself on the arm of the armchair and said;

"A sickle for your thoughts?"

Harry's head snapped to look up at him, surprised. He looked around and noticed they were alone. He looked down onto his lap, unable to look into Remus's eyes. Remus, however, wasn't having any of that. He ran a hand through Harry's unruly hair and turned his face so that he was looking at him properly.

"What's the matter?" he asked concerned. Harry looked into intense amber eyes.

"How am I supposed to do this? How am I supposed to beat him Remus?" Harry asked, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked desperately at Remus. Remus picked him up, took his seat and pulled Harry into his lap. (A/n: I know it seems kind of childish for Harry to be sitting on his lap, but read my theory in the end.) Remus wrapped his arms around him and whispered into his ear.

"You'll be trained, Harry. We're setting up a training system for you; don't worry, you'll be ready. And those who care about you will be right beside you. You're going to be ok."

Harry let his tears fall and eventually fell asleep on Remus's lap.

Remus picked him up and laid him down on the sofa as Sirius came in.

"What happened?" Sirius asked, looking at his godson in concern. Remus looked at him and sighed.

"I guess you could say he had a breakdown," he said. He looked back down at his new ward. "He is way too young to be worrying about this kind of stuff."

Sirius sighed, crossed the room, slipped his hands around his husband's waist and looked down at Harry.

"Yes he is. But it's a burden he's willing to carry. He's not alone, though; he's willing to let others that care about him help. That is an improvement to what he was like last year and the year before that." He kissed Remus's cheek and took his hand. "Come on, love, let's go eat." Remus interlaced their fingers and with one last look at Harry, let his lover lead him into the kitchen.

A/N: Ok, so: Remus and Sirius are going to be treating Harry like he is a little kid sometimes but the thing is, it's normal for that to happen, since Harry had anything but a normal childhood, he acts a lot younger then he really is towards his 'parents'. Since he didn't have any kind of affection growing up, he tends to revert back to the stage where he most craved affection. You'll be seeing a lot of this- just a warning. I'll be typing up the next chapter soon. Revieeeeew.

I may just throw in an extra chapter if you ask hard enough! Want to know why? I GOT A C2! I'm so happy! –squeal-


	4. OWLs, parents, and cursed clothing

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognize.

A week passed and it was now July 14th, 2 days after the full moon. Harry had become increasingly trustful and affectionate towards his guardians. At this moment, it was around 4 in the afternoon and Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Remus and Sirius were in the kitchen. The rest of their guests had order business to attend to, so here they were staring at Sirius's half-assed attempt at a snack. They were all eating the sandwiches cautiously when 3 owls came in through the window and dropped 3 envelopes in front of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Knowing what it was, Hermione promptly started chocking on her butterbeer, Ron paled and Harry bit his lip. Remus and Sirius snickered.

"They won't open themselves, you know. Are you Gryffindors or not?" Ginny said amused. The 3 friends snapped out of their trance and reached for their destined envelopes. They looked at the letters and then at each other. They quickly exchanged letters, sending Sirius and Remus into a flurry of laughter and causing Ginny to slap her forehead. Harry ripped opened Ron's letter.

**Ordinary Wizarding Level Results**

**Pass Grades Fail Grades**

_Outstanding (O) Poor (P)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)_

_Acceptable (A) Troll (T)_

_Ronald Billius Weasley has achieved:_

_  
Astronomy: A_

_C.O.M.C.: E_

_Charms: E_

_D.A.D.A.: O_

_Divination: D_

_Herbology: E_

_History of Magic: D_

_Potions: O_

_Transfiguration: E_

Harry looked up from the results as Ron smirked, "Well 'Mione-"

"What?" Hermione panicked, "Are they really bad? OH, I KNEW I failed everything-"

"Hermione calm down! You got all O's except in D.A.D.A. where you got an E!" Ron said laughing.

Harry snickered and said "Well, Ron you didn't do too shabby yourself. You got an O in potions."  
Ron turned to him and stared. He finally opened his mouth to say, "How is that even relatively possible?" He lunged for his letter, scanning over it.

Hermione, finally pausing in devouring her results, looked at him,

"You've got an O in potions as well, Harry."

Now, even Ginny stared at her in disbelief.

"Come again?" Harry finally said.

Hermione nodded and handed him his letter.

Harry looked at his scores.

_Astronomy: A_

_C.O.M.C.: E_

_Charms: E_

_D.A.D.A.: O_

_Divination: D_

_Herbology: E_

_History of Magic: D_

_Potions: O  
Transfiguration: E_

Harry was snapped out of his shock when Sirius spoke, "You can share any day now Harry."

Harry handed his letter to Sirius and smiled half-heartedly.

"I got the grades for Auror training."

Sirius hugged Harry in congratulations followed by Remus who whispered, "We'll talk about this later." in his ear. Out loud he said, "Not like you'll need it much, you're getting training by Tonks and Shacklebolt."

And it was true, for the last 5 days Tonks and Kingsley had been teaching him dueling and even muggle martial arts. He was quite good at it too, but Tonks wasn't as clumsy as she appeared. He found that out the hard way and still had the bruise to prove it.

Harry shook his head and arched his back, yawning.

"Harry…" Remus said slowly. "Open your mouth."

Harry looked confused at first but then understood. He winced and stuck his tongue out. Remus started to chuckle.

"What?" Sirius asked. He hooked a finger under Harry's chin and turned his face to himself. Sirius grinned widely, "When did you get your tongue pierced?" He was studying the sphere with interest. The snake inside the transparent circle shone as it caught the light, "Nice symbolism, by the by."

"Last year." Ron answered for him. "Most Gryffindors in out year, the years above and the year below got something pierced."  
"It was out way of rebelling, I suppose." Hermione cut in, "Umbridge was controlling our lives so much we decided to do something she couldn't control." She showed them her cartilage ring.

Ginny spoke next, "You should have seen her face when I stretched in class and my pierce showed," she lifted her shirt a bit so they could see her red belly ring. "I got 2 nights detention but it was so worth it. Don't tell mum I got a pierce okay? She'll go bonkers."

"I'm guessing it was the same face she pulled when she saw mine." Ron said fingering his earring."

Harry smirked, "I swear I spent more time in detention then in class last year." The other three snickered and shook their heads.  
Remus then asked, "If she was so horrible, why would you aggravate her?"

Hermione responded for all of them, "Sometimes, we lost our tempers, she was so bloody infuriating. We all had to control ourselves, especially Harry. No offence, Har."

Harry just shrugged.

"I swear Luna had to cast at least two silencing sells on me in class per week so I wouldn't get in trouble. I'm not kidding." She added to the disbelieving faces of Remus and Sirius, "She would deliberately provoke you. Plus, you got detention for even breathing too loudly anyway."

"Oh, come on." Sirius and Remus said at the same time, not believing the stories.

"I mean," Remus elaborated, "I know she is bad, I've been on the end of her doings more than once… but detention for _breathing _too loudly?"  
Harry turned to him and nodded, "Seamus got 3 days for it."

Sirius looked disgusted, "What did she make you do?"

Harry quickly hid his hand under the table while the other three stuttered, obviously aware that Harry didn't want them to know.

Sirius stared at Harry and said firmly, "Hand."

Harry sighed and showed Sirius his hand. Sirius gently ran his fingers over the words 'I will not tell lies' and his eyes filled with fury.

"Last time I checked, Blood Quills are illegal," He said through gritted teeth.

Remus came up behind him and put his hands on Sirius's shoulders

"Breathe, honey."

"_Breathe?_ Remus, that…that _woman_ had him use a _Blood Quill_!"

Remus sighed, "I know, baby. But what are you going to do about it now? She got what she deserved anyway; she's at St. Mungo's psychiatric word until further notice, and with no signs of being let out."

Sirius paused, "I guess." He said reluctantly.

After a moment's awkward silence Ginny broke through the tension in the room.

"Siri… you are _so _his bitch."

Sirius rolled his eyes and sighed while the teenagers laughed and Remus tried not to.

"I'm not even going to try and deny that one."  
Remus cleared his throat and looked around the table, "I think we should be getting back to cleaning. We're almost done with the bedrooms."

The rest agreed half-heartedly.

It was around 5 that they took a break. Harry and Ron had their shirts off. The girls had their hair pulled back, Ginny with her shirt tied around her waist and Hermione changed into shorts. Harry was lying face down on the floor with Ginny drawing something on his back with a quill and colored ink. Ron was laying on one of the beds and Hermione on the other, sleeping. Ginny put the final touches on her drawing and said, "Done."

Harry looked at her, smiled and went over to the mirror. He looked from the drawing to Ginny in shock.

"You're good." He said, studying the picture.

A black, grim-like dog with piercing blue eyes, watching a beautiful silver wolf howling at the full moon with love apparent in his expression, a stag with mischievous light brown eyes watched and a white lily decorated the scene wonderfully. It almost looked real.

Harry tilted his head in thought and turned to a blushing Ginny.

"Can you make this permanent?" He asked.

Ginny shrugged, "I can make it water-proof so it won't some out in the shower, but it'll fade eventually."

She took out her wand and muttered something Harry couldn't hear pointing at the drawing. He felt a kind of seal over his lower back and smiled at her. He took his position on the floor again and almost yelped as cold water ran over his back.

"Had to check if it worked," She snickered and grabbed his shirt off the floor. "Looks pretty good," She added, dabbing at the drawing.

"What looks good?" Sirius asked, coming into the room, "We kind of need your help upstairs. My dear old mum put some kind of curse in my old room and the clothes in my old wardrobe are trying to kill me." He blinked afterwards as if stuff like this happened to him everyday…which when you thought about it, it did in this house.

He noticed Ginny dabbing at Harry's back and thinking he had hurt himself, crouched down and took the shirt from Ginny's hand.

He stared at his godson's back for a moment before gently tracing the stag and the lily.

"Did you draw this?" He asked Ginny curiously. When she nodded he said, "How did you know what James's animagus looked like?"

Ginny shrugged, "Common sense. Animagi keep their eye and hair color. It's one of the reasons it is impossible to duplicate an animagus form."

Sirius smiled slightly and nodded as Harry turned to look at him, "I like it." He said in barely a whisper.

Ginny stood and pointed, "I'm going to go help Remus." She said and left the room

Harry sat up and turned to Sirius,

"All right?" he questioned.

Sirius looked up into his god-son's eyes, sighed and said, "I miss them."

Harry nodded slightly and shrugged, "I never knew them enough to miss them… that sounds horrid."

Sirius wrapped his arms around Harry and said, "I wish you could have known them. I wish it all went differently."

"Yes, but." Harry said, pulling away, "I have you and Moony right? That is more than enough for me."

Sirius smiled, his eyes becoming suspiciously bright. He stood, and pulled Harry up, guiding him out the door and up the stairs. When they were almost to the room, Sirius put his hands on Harry's hips from behind and admired the drawing.

"Looks very cool." He stated, "If you want to, we could go get it permanent in Diagon Ally once I'm free. I wanted to get another tattoo anyway. We could go get it together."  
He smiled widely, "I'd like that. What other tattoos do you have?"  
Sirius was about to answer, when they walked into the room and the cloak that Ginny was holding came flying at them. Out of reflex, they both ducked and Remus banished the cursed piece of clothing with a flick of his wand.

"It was all going well until you walked in." Remus said, exasperated.

"So glad you missed me." Sirius responded sarcastically.

"Uh… not to be… obvious, or anything. But why now just cast a _finite incantatem_ over the room?" Harry asked.

The other three blinked at him for a moment before Sirius said, "Smart arse."

They all exited the room so Remus could cast the spell, but before he could do anything Harry gasped and fell to his knees, clutching his head and writhing in pain.

A/N: Heh. I know I have absolutely no right to end this with a semi-cliffy. . I shouldn't be begging on my knees for forgiveness. But I stayed in Brazil 1 week longer than planned, then I came back and was failing 5 of my subjects horribly, then the end of term happened and all of these term projects were due. xx end of term is actually next week but grades are due then too, so teachers made us turn them in a week early. Anyhoo. I really hoped you enjoyed this; I worked really hard on it. I just have a tiny, teeny problem. Writer's block. If you have anything you want to happen, or would like to see, let me know, please. I really want this story to succeed but you might not get an update for a few more months after the next chapter if I still have writer's block. I love you all!

REVIEW!


	5. Possession, Cuddling, and Papa

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you may recognize.

After a moment's surprise, Sirius took charge. He rushed to his godson's side and gripped his arms tightly so he wouldn't hurt himself.

"Shh… Harry, it's okay." Sirius whispered in his ear while holding him, "Come back to me Harry, come on. Remus, go call Mme. Pomphrey, this isn't normal, even by Harry's standards. I-."

He was cut off as Harry jerked out of his grip violently, eyes snapping open. While Remus ran to go get the nurse, Ginny ran to the bathroom to get a wet rag. Sirius watched helplessly as Harry jerked and arched as if in pain. His godson looked as if he was having a seizure- mouth opened, gasping for air, and eyes rolled back but wide opened. Sirius let out a sob, but jumped to restrain Harry quickly.

"Harry? Sweetie, come back to me. Come on, Harry. You're scaring me, baby."

Harry took a deep rasping breath, pupils turned red and focused on Sirius.

"Leave us alone!" Harry's lips said, but wasn't his voice. It was an evil, rasping demonic voice. Vaguely, Sirius heard Ginny's gasp of horror and running footsteps as she went to get Ron and Hermione.

Sirius turned angry, knowing this wasn't his godson. Pinning Harry's struggling form to the floor, Sirius yelled,

"Get out! Get out of my baby, you goddamned bastard!"

Harry's body suddenly went completely still; relaxing as if he was just sleeping.

"Sirius!"

Breathing hard, Sirius turned to see Remus and the school nurse running to him.

"There was something seriously wrong." Sirius panted, shaking his head, "He looked like he was having a really violent seizure, then his eyes turned red. He said. "Leave us alone" but it wasn't him. He sounded like… like he did when Voldemort possessed him in the ministry."

"Oh, gods." Remus choked, "We'll have to start him on Occlumency lessons again. I'll speak to Severus as soon as possible. How can Voldemort possess him if he isn't near him? I've never heard of that." Remus paused as he thought it over.

"Enervate." Mme. Pomphrey chanted, wand pointed at Harry's chest.

Harry gave a weak moan and opened his eyes. He looked around and spoke,

"Snape. You have to get to Snape. He found out. He's at hogsmeade, but he's hurt. Cruciatus. Broken bones."

"I'll go." Sirius stated as he got up from the floor.

Remus just nodded as he took Sirius's place at Harry's side. Harry quickly turned as his stomach lurched violently. Remus looked helplessly towards Mme. Pomphrey but all she could do is give him a pain relieving potion for Harry's predictable headache and hope his stomach calmed. He hugged Harry to him as his cub collapsed.

Hermione, Ron and Ginny had arrived sometime during the chaos. Hermione turned to Mme. Pomphrey, her face pale,

"Will he be alright?" She asked, voice trembling.

Mme. Pomphrey sighed and turned to Remus,

"Just put him to rest. I've never been able to do anything for him after his visions. Take this and give it to him if his stomach doesn't calm down in a few hours." Mme. Pomphrey said handing him a vial with a blue potion in it.

Remus put the potion in his robe pocket and scooped Harry into his arms. He took Harry to his and Sirius's room and lay him down on the queen bed. Harry started awake as Remus pulled the comforter over him.

"Moony?"

Remus smiled slightly but you could still see the concern in his eyes.

"Shh, sweetheart. You're safe. Rest now; I'll wake you when it's time for dinner." He said softly.

Harry snuggled into the covers more and said, "Okay. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Har. Just sleep."

Remus sighed and walked out, closing the door softly. He went down to the kitchen to get news on Snape.

He found Sirius sitting cross-legged in front of the fireplace, staring into the fire blankly.

"Siri?" Remus called out softly.

Sirius merely glanced at his husband before looking away.

"Severus is in the hospital. Saint Mungo's. He's in critical condition." Sirius swallowed.

"Come sit with me, Padfoot." Remus gently helped Sirius to the table and sat beside him, "Besides the obvious, what's wrong, honey?"

Sirius looked at Remus before exhaling. Burying his head on his love's shoulder, he spoke into his mate's mind.  
_'Harry will be demanding explanations once he wakes as to why we're not acting like we hate Severus anymore. He'll be pissed when we tell him it was just an act. And why does this always happen to Harry? Just when we think we've got the situation figured out, another problem pops up.'_

Remus sighed, _'I don't know, baby. But all we can do now is be there for him, make sure he knows he's loved. We need to speak to him about the fact that if he inherited Jamie's powers, he'll be in for a power boost on his 16__th__. If he has powers of his own, which I have no doubt he does, he'll have an even bigger one.'_

_"Remus… I feel like I'm trying to take Jamie's place. I mean, I know I'm not Harry's father but…"_

Remus tightened his gold on Sirius and responded, _'Stop it. If you think about it that way, then I am just as guilty of trying to take James's place as you are. Harry needs parental figures whether he realizes it or not. We love him like a son, so why shouldn't we be there for him like that? As long as Harry agrees to it, since he's already able to choose his guardian by wizarding law, I think after your trial we should bring up the fact that we want to adopt him'_

_'You think?' _Sirius asked dubiously.

_'I think…Harry needs this more than we realize.'_

_'Remus…I love you.'_

Remus smiled against his mate's long hair, _'I love you too. Now, your godson is waking up and I think he needs some cuddling.'_

Sirius slapped Remus's chest gently, "Prat." He smiled and pressed his lips against Remus's for a long moment.

"Are you going to join me in said Cuddling?" Sirius chuckled.

"In a moment. I'm going to ask Mme. Pomphrey about giving our cub some Dreamless potion."

Sirius smiled slightly at the words 'our cub' but said nothing as he made his way upstairs.

He was stopped at the top of the stairs by Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

"What is going on? Why is everybody freaking out over Harry's vision?" Hermione whispered fearfully.

Sirius sighed, "It wasn't a vision, per say. But you'll have to ask Harry about it when he's feeling better."

"Where is he? We'll ask him now." Ron stated.

Sirius turned to him with a stern face, "No. I said you may ask him when, and only when, he feels better and wants to tell you. Understand?"

Ron looked as if he was going to argue but Hermione put her hand on his arm and said,

"He's right, Ron. We should let Harry rest."

Ron glared at her and stormed off to his room.

Ginny, who had been quiet up to now, turned to Sirius awkwardly.

"I'm sorry he's being a prat, Sirius. He doesn't like to see reason when someone else has to point it out for him."

"Don't apologize for him, Ginny. He has to get over his misplaced pride and apologize for himself when he realized he's wrong because neither I nor Remus have patience for people like that. You might want to go over and tell him that- I don't want anybody saying I didn't warn him." Sirius said sternly and then turned to enter his and Remus's bedroom.

Harry's head turned towards the door as it opened. He looked at Sirius with fear in his eyes before quickly looking away.

Sirius got onto his knees and whispered softly, "Harry? Are you okay? Are you feeling ill?"

Harry ignored the questions and pulled his long sleeves over his hands.

"I'm a freak."

Sirius frowned, "You are not a freak and I will not have you talking about yourself like that."

Harry scoffed, battling with his tears, "I'm Voldemort's toy. He can control me whenever he feels like it."

Sirius took a breath; desperately controlling his instinct to lock Harry up somewhere and only let him out once that bastard was dead.

He sat on the edge of the bed and turned Harry's head so he was looking at Sirius.

"You are _fifteen_. Voldemort is both psychotic and powerful. You had no way of protecting yourself because you had no way of knowing he could do that to you from far away. We're going to figure this out Harry. I promise you, baby boy."

Sirius looked into Harry's tearing emerald eyes and opened his arms in a silent offer.

Harry whimpered and threw himself at Sirius. Sirius, for his part, held his godson tightly.

"Let it out. You're allowed to cry, Harry."

Harry finally let out his sobs against his godfather's shoulder.

Sirius rocked him until he felt Harry pull away. He summoned a damp cloth from the en-suite bathroom and gently wiped Harry's face clean from tears. He then grabbed the blue potion he recognized as a stomach-soothing potion. He pulled the stopper and gave Harry the vial. Harry gulped down the nasty-tasting brew, sighing as he began to feel its effects.

When Sirius was done, be banished the cloth and turned back to Harry.

He smiled slightly when he saw Harry biting his lip with a thoughtful look on his face, "Yes?" He asked teasingly.

Harry blushed slightly and looked down, "I heard you when you were trying to get him to leave me. I mean… I heard what you said…. Do you really think of me as _your_ baby?"

Sirius looked away for a second before taking off his shoes and gesturing to the bed.

"Can I join you?"

Harry quickly scooted over so Sirius could sit next to him under the warm covers.

Sirius turned and pulled Harry to his chest in an embrace.

"When I was in Hogwarts, I always used to say that there was no one in the world I could love more than Remus. And then Lily got pregnant and after seventeen hours of labor- there you were. I was so scared of holding you- afraid I was going to break you, you were so tiny. James told me to stop being stupid and put you in my arms for the first time." Sirius paused and tilted Harry's head so he could look in his eyes, "And you opened your big, green eyes and gave me the cutest smile and wrapped your tiny hand around my finger and just like that, I knew you would be the center of my world. I fell so in love with you in that one second, Harry. And from that moment on, I made sure everyone knew that you were _my_ baby boy, even your parents. They didn't mind. I think- somehow they knew you would end up in my care." Sirius took a deep breath as Harry made himself more comfortable in Sirius's arms. "And then I got to hold you again for the first time in twelve years and even though you were tall enough to rest your head against my shoulder- I knew you were still my baby. But after the third task- those feeling begin to… not change but evolve in a way. And they kept on growing until I realized what it was I was feeling. I had come to think of myself as your… father. Your dad. And Remus too- he loves you just as much as I do. And after my trial we want to adopt you- if you accept it. Make it official to the world that you're our son and that nobody can take you away from us."

Harry pulled away from him in disbelief, "You and Remus want to adopt me?"

Before Sirius could answer, another voice came from the door.

"Yes, we do." Remus said before joining them on the bed. "Is that okay, cub?"

Harry let out a breathy laugh before throwing his arms around the werewolf, saying loud enough for Sirius to hear,

"It's more then okay, Papa."

Sirius's hand flew to his mouth as tears filled both his and Remus's eyes and Remus held his cub tighter.

Sirius smiled through his tears and gave Remus a quick peck on the lips before beginning to lightly massage Harry's back.

Harry groaned softly and melted against Remus. The adults laughed at him softly.

"Feels good?" Sirius asked gently.

Harry nodded, "My muscles hurt after visions, kind of like how they hurt when your blood pressure goes down. All achy and stuff. This time it hurts even more."

"I bet it does." Remus whispered.

Sirius, not liking the way the loving atmosphere turned somber, let his fingers drift towards Harry's side. Smiling wickedly, Sirius suddenly started tickling Harry, who yelped and tried to get away.

After what was a very vicious tickle fight, the three of them ended up lying across the bed with Harry and Remus resting their heads on Sirius's chest.

Sirius sighed, running his fingers through both his boys' hair.

All of a sudden, Harry started laughing.

"What?" Remus asked amusedly.

Harry shook his head, "It just registered that you called me 'cub'."

Sirius looked at him weirdly, "What's funny about that?"

"Not funny… just ironic." Harry replied, sitting up.

"How's that?" Remus asked while Sirius and he sat up.

Harry blushed and looked guilty, "Don't be mad?" he asked apprehensively.

Two sets of eyebrows shot up at the request. They reluctantly nodded.

Sirius and Remus gasped as before their eyes Harry transformed into a teacup puppy, only slightly bigger. He had shaggy black fur and looked at them with bright green eyes.

"Oh, Merlin." Sirius breathed, "You look like a teddy bear." He gently picked the puppy up and cradled it to his chest.

Convinced that at least Sirius wasn't mad at him, Harry barked happily and licked Sirius's chin while he laughed in delight.

Harry wiggled until Sirius put him back on the bed. He then turned to Remus, who appeared to be in shock. Harry transformed back and began to explain.

"We did it for you, me, Hermione and Ron that is. So we could keep you company on the full moons. We've been trying since third year and we got it down a few weeks ago. Though I don't know how I'll be able to help you- you're thirty times my size…… You're not mad are you?"

That seemed to snap Remus out of it.

"I'm not mad, puppy. Just a little overwhelmed. And very touched. But- I'll need to think about if I'll let you join for the full moon."

Harry seemed to accept this for now and nodded, "As long as you aren't mad."

Sirius came up behind Harry and hugged him as Remus smiled and started putting up numbers with his fingers.

Harry looked confused as he said the numbers out loud,

"1. 4. 3."

Sirius picked up where his mate left off.

"3. 8. 1." Harry looked at them, "What does that mean?"

They smiled.

Remus put up the numbers again explaining, "I. Love. You."

"Three words. Eight letters. One meaning. Remus's mother used to say that to us all the time." Sirius finished.

Harry smiled then, "I love you, too."

A/N: Intese Chapter. Sorry it took so long to update, but I did warn you about writer's block. ... Is anyone even reading these things?

REVIEW!


	6. I'm running out of titles

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you may recognize… this is getting really old really fast. . 

July 20, 1995

After a long and awkward conversation, Harry finally understood why Snape and his "fathers' had to fake hating each other… But this did not mean he had to like it.

But after Dumbledore told him and his to-be-adopted fathers about the Horocruxes, Harry figured that holding a grudge was simply wasting energy he didn't have.

He tried to keep that in mind as he looked at the battered and broken shadow of his former school rival.

Remus pulled him to the side and started explaining.

"His father tortured him when he refused to take the Dark Mark. When his mother tried to help him, Lucius killed her. The reason you saw Severus get caught is because he helped Draco escape. I know he's been rotten to you and your friends but try to keep in mind that everyone has a mask they have to hide behind."

Harry glanced at Malfoy and then back at this father.

"I'll be nice, Papa. Promise."

"Thank you, cub." Remus smiled, "Ron has been told the news but as he cannot control his temper, he'll be upstairs."

Harry understood the warning.

Remus continued, "Hermione and Ginny have agreed to be nice but they thought Draco wouldn't appreciate that many people around him at the moment so they're upstairs trying to calm Ron down."

Harry nodded his understanding and followed Remus back into the room.

When they entered, Harry took in the sight of a shirtless Draco Malfoy sitting in one of the chairs, snapping at rubber bands on his wrist. When he heard them come in he looked up and quickly down again, cracking his rubber bands even harder. He sounded like he was trying to control his breathing and his tears and failing horribly. He looked terrible. He had scratches all over his pale face, his silver eyes bloodshot. His appearance was that of a person who hadn't slept for days. There were welts around his wrists from the impact of the rubber bands, as well as ridges all around his torso, as if he had been whipped; his lip was split and his eye bruised.

Sirius took a seat on one side of him, Remus the other and Harry took the chair next to Sirius.

Sirius brushed Draco's bangs out of his eyes and hissed in sympathy, ignoring his flinch, "That looks bad."

Draco shied away from Sirius's hand and ducked his head, still snapping at the elastics- though not as hard.

Remus sighed and said softly, "Sirius and I are going to go get some healing salves for you. We'll be right back." They left, Sirius giving Harry a look that clearly stated, "Behave."

Draco's response was only a nod.

Harry got up, went to the freezer and took out some ice cubes. He wrapped the ice in the softest dish towel he could find. Harry went back to Draco and pulled the chair closer to the blonde. He put the ice on the table for a moment.

"That is a nasty habit that I broke last year. Ginny nearly took my head off when she noticed what I was doing." He said softly, gently and carefully removing the offending rubber bands off of the unresisting red wrists, "If you ever feel like hurting yourself, come talk to me. Or if you don't feel comfortable doing that you can go to Sirius or Remus. They're pretty easy to talk to and they'd never hold what you tell them against you or make fun of you or tell anyone." Harry stopped talking, realizing he was babbling a bit.

He laid the towel across Draco's wrists. Draco flinched but didn't' look away from him.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Draco whispered.

Harry sighed and said, "Because I gained a descent amount of respect for you when I heard you refused to become a death eater."

That made Draco smile dryly,

"You didn't actually think I would lower myself to my knees to kiss some power-crazed psycho's robes, did you?"

Harry chuckled at the unexpected wit, "Guess not."

Draco hesitated, "You know… I'm not that snobby git you're used to. I just… I had to act that way because if it got out that I was friends with Harry Potter… my father would have gone mad a long time ago. I asked you to my friend back in first year because Lucius wanted to have power over you. What better way to have influence over you then for me to become your new best friend. But I knew if I were to friends with you, I would probably tell you everything and I couldn't do that. I couldn't let you know what he was really like because when I went home, I'd be damned. That's why I made sure you denied my friendship."

Harry looked at the dulled silver eyes, pleading with him for his forgiveness.

"You acted like something you're not to save yourself." He whispered, "A very Slytherin thing to do but…I'm impressed at your acting abilities. I may have to take some lessons from you some time."

They sat in silence until Sirius came back and said, "Remus is putting an extra bed in your room Harry, as it seems Kreature went in all the others and got them dirty again. Draco why don't you do take a shower?"

Draco nodded while Harry protested,

"We just spent the last four days cleaning those rooms!"

"Yes, I know. I'll talk to Albus; see if he can't spare us a house elf for a week or so." Sirius looked at him meaningfully, "In the mean time, why don't you show Draco to the bath?"

"Okay." Harry said, knowing they had bigger problems then a few messy rooms.

Harry led Draco up the stairs and to the bathroom, then turned to him,

"There is a pretty big bath in there if you wanted to soak for a while. The closet has towels and anything you might need. I'll leave you clean clothes by the door."

Draco nodded.

Harry turned away when he heard Draco almost whisper,

"Hey, Potter..."

Harry interrupted him, "It's Harry… and no problem." They both smiled slightly.

Harry went back to his room after leaving Draco his clothing to see Remus sitting on the extra bed, head in his hands. Harry went and sat down next to him.

"It's kind of weird being nice to Malfoy."

Remus looked up and smiled a little, "I am… so proud of you, baby boy."

"Why?" Harry asked, confused.

"You're giving him a chance. You're willing to let all of the history between you two go. Not many people could do that… including your proving to be problematic best friend."

Harry shrugged, "I'll talk to him. He'll come around. And I can never hold grudges anyway. I'm not very good at it."

Remus hugged Harry and opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by Draco coming into the room clad in jeans and a gray t-shirt. A second later, Sirius came in, levitating about six jars.

"Okay, Draco. Why don't you take off your shirt and lay down on a bed."

Draco hesitated, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt before biting his lower lip and pulling it over his head.

The three Gryffindors hissed when they really got to see the gashes on the Slytherin's back. Draco ignored their reactions as well as he could and lay down, unknowingly on Harry's bed. Sirius went over to him and started to spread some purple goop on the gashes, which gave smoke as they started to heal. Sirius started to reach for another jar when something caught his eye. Remus and Harry moved closer to see what Sirius was looking at. Crouching down Harry was able to see the word carved into the blonde's back:

FAG

"Draco?" Remus asked softly, "Are you gay?"

Draco tensed and looked as if he were gong to bolt up and run. Harry, who was closer to Draco's face, soothed him,

"It's okay if you are. These two lovebirds behind you hardly hide it; I pretty much accepted I'm gay after Cho kissed me-"

Sirius looked up sharply, "Well there's a bit of information that would've helped me through the talk we had. Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius asked, hurt.

Harry looked surprised, "I thought you know. Papa knew- I figured he told you!"

"You knew?" Sirius asked Remus almost angry.

Remus's eyes widened and he stuttered, "I … I thought you knew! I thought he told you-"

He was cut off by chuckling coming from Draco.

"And what are you laughing at?" Sirius asked amusedly.

Draco lifted his head off his pillow and said, "Gryffindors are so dramatic."

The three sat there in thought for a second.

"That's not very nice." Harry said in mock-hurt.

Remus shrugged, "It is sort of true though."

Harry gasped in fake surprise, "Traitor! How could you say that about your house?!"

Draco snickered as Sirius started spreading the salves on his back again.

Harry turned to Sirius and said, "Do you agree with him, Daddy?"

Sirius smiled at him and said, "I have no idea what he's on about, love, and I'm completely behind you on this."

They continued to bicker pointlessly, mainly to distract Draco as Sirius continued to heal his body.

By the time Sirius was done, Draco had fallen asleep so they left him to rest and went back down to the kitchen.

Harry sat down heavily on the table and summed up the situation,

"Wow."

Sirius sighed, "Indeed."

Harry turned to Sirius, remembering,

"How did you know how to heal him? You looked like you were in your element in there."

Sirius smiled slightly, "Short as my career may have been, I was a Healer before I went to Azkaban."

Harry's eyebrows rose, "But you were only eighteen."

"Nineteen, just barely. The math is complicated. Your mother graduated a year earlier than all of us, overachiever that she was. When we were in November of our seventh year, she got pregnant with you. I got an internship with Poppy that I had applied for that summer since I'd taken the required tests out sixth year. By the time seventh year was over, I had gotten a job at St. Mungo's as a Healer. My birthday is June 22nd so when you were born I had just barely turned eighteen. By the time I was nineteen I was Chief Healer… and then everything went to hell."

Harry was impressed, "Wow."

Remus smiled, "Yes, your Daddy was quite ambitious to be a successful Healer. Speaking of careers… Harry, when did you change your mind about becoming an Auror?"

Sirius looked up from where he was making tea in surprise,

"You changed your mind?"

Harry looked uncomfortable,

"The idea doesn't appeal to me anymore, but I haven't considered anything else. Being an Auror is just what everyone expects from me."

"I don't expect that from you." Hermione said as she walked into the room, "I expect you to do what you want to do, regardless of what others may think."

"Your sister's right, Harry. You have too much on your plate already to be worrying about what other people think." Sirius said.

Harry just sighed, "Easier said than done."

"I suppose." Remus said, "Just promise us you'll think of other things you may want to do, okay?"

Harry just nodded.

Hermione changed the subject for now.

"Mal-… err… Draco… is awake. Do you feel like saving him from Ginny's interrogation talents?"

Harry smiled at her in thanks, "If we must."

He swung an arm over her shoulder and started leading her upstairs.

Sirius and Remus snickered into their teas as they heard their fading conversation.

"So how's Ron doing?"

"We had a long talk. Apparently as long as you don't change anything, he's flexible to new things."

Harry sighed, exasperated.

A/N: I know I'm off to a slow start, but bare with me. I want to get the things you need to know down, so that I can really start the plot. I really hope you liked this chapter. Draco's here! Yay! Please review!!!! I love you all! MUAH! 3


	7. HOLY LONG CHAPTER!

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognize… anybody else think this thing is kind of redundant?

July 27th.

"Sirius Orion Black! Shame of my flesh! Bringing blood traitors and mudbloods into the Noble-"

She was cut off as everyone ran to the front room and Sirius and Kinglsey hurried to close her curtains.

"And most Ancient House of Black. You really need to come up with other insults woman!"

Apparently taking offence to Sirius's response, she snapped her curtains closed. Not expecting the sudden move, Sirius and Kingsley were sent flying.

Bumping into Tonks, Sirius closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable fall.

It never came.

Tonks, being who she is, steadied Sirius… then a second later lost her balance and fell down.

Shaking his head in amusement, Sirius helped her up and then turned to his guests and froze,

"Andy…" He chocked and took a step back.

The woman's lip trembled as she held her arms out,

"Forgive me?" She said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Sirius let out a shuttering breath and wrapped his arms around her.

They hugged tightly for a moment before becoming aware of the others in the room. They came apart, wiping at their eyes.

Sirius turned to the man standing beside Andromeda and let out a laugh,

"Hey, Ted." He said as Remus came up and hugged him from behind.

"Maybe you should make some introductions, love."

"Oh, right. Um…" He looked around the room, "Everyone this is my cousin Andromeda and her husband Ted. They're Tonks's parents. Andy, Ted, that's Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George. They're Molly Weasley's kids. Over there is Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy- Draco, meet your aunt."

Draco smiled slightly and waved, "Hi."

Sirius looked at Harry then, "Come here, baby." He pulled Harry into his arms, "And I'll give you three guesses as to who this is. The first two don't count."

"Oh my… You look so much like James. Expect your cheekbones." Harry started at the unexpected observation. "And your eyes, of course. You-"

"Have Lily's eyes. So I've heard." Harry finished for her, smiling hesitantly.

Just then the door opened once more and in came Molly, Bill, Charlie, Dumbledore, Neville, Luna, and another woman from the order whose name escaped Harry.

Wait a minute-

"Neville? Luna?"

"Why hello, Harry. Fancy meeting you here. I'm afraid Daddy has some business to finish for the order so I'll be staying at this house for a bit. Lovely house, isn't it? Most peculiar way of hiding it though. I mean. Anyone with a Flying Hegac could find it." Luna said matter-of-factly.

"Err…" Harry looked to Ginny for help as everyone else was looking at Luna like they were wondering about her sanity… which many did.

Dumbledore came to his rescue by saying,

"Why don't we all settle into the kitchen and I'll explain what our visitors are doing here? Shall we?" He asked, already leading way.

Once everyone had a seat, Dumbledore began talking.

"Now, we all know why Ms. Lovegood is here. Mr. Longbottom-"

"Longbottom! That's why you look so familiar! Wow. I haven't seen you since you were one, Neville." Sirius said to the surprised boy.

"Hello." Neville choked out.

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling as he continued,

"Mr. Longbottom is going to be hiding here. He and his grandmother were victims of a Death Eater attack, and his grandmother is being put into hiding in another place. Now, I'm afraid Andromeda here has been targeted once more because she is one of the few white sheep of the Black family. I shall be back for the meeting tonight, but for now I have to go. Good day to all." And with that, the headmaster floo-ed away in a flurry of purple and green robes.

As Mrs. Weasley scurried to make lunch for everyone, they started to talk amongst themselves.

"Are you missing Romania yet, Charlie?" Bill asked his brother.

"Are you kidding? I started missing it the minute I left." Charlie said gloomily.

"I don't really see the temptation of working with Dragons. I mean, don't you have to watch your back all the time?" Hermione asked.

"You have to be aware of what you're doing and of your surroundings, but it's so worth it. They're all big puppies, really." Charlie answered, ignoring the looks of disbelief in his direction.

Remus smirked in his direction, "I think you are the only person who would compare Dragons with puppies, Charlie."

Charlie just shrugged.

While that conversation was going on, Andromeda turned to her little cousin and started speaking,

"How are you doing, Siri? I can't believe what we did to you. Letting them send you to Azkaban without a trial was the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. I-"

"Andy, stop. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. Yea, I was angry when nobody spoke up for me back then, but … the evidence spoke for itself I suppose. It just spoke lies is all. Look, I spent twelve years of my life that hell and one year running from those who put me there. I don't want to waste more time, Andy. My trial is in two days, and then I'll be free. I can't dwell on the past, I've done too much of that this past year. I have too much to lose. Harry is here with me, and he's calling me Daddy, and Remus Papa, and he's so wonderful. And he needs me; he can't get through this war without help. Yes, Azkaban was horrible and terrifying and I still have nightmares now and again. Mme. Pomphrey said I'll always be sensitive to the cold now. I know I sound different, and that's not temporary. I sound like I'm losing my voice but the fact is I damaged my vocal chords past the point of it being heal-able. I've seen terrible things, Andy, but I won't allow that to stop me from living my life. I'm not saying I'll be able to just leave it all behind but…how can I move on if I keep dwelling on the what-could-have-been?"

Andy had tears in her blue eyes as she said, "I keep forgetting you grew up, Sirius. And I can't do anything about the past, you're right. But I want to be able to make it up to you." She pulled her long blonde hair into a ponytail.

Sirius smiled slightly and winked, "You could start by helping us clean this god-forsaken house. Remember Kreature? Yea… he's still here and he still hates me. He keeps messing up all the rooms we've cleaned and it is getting really annoying. Maybe he'll think you're Bellatrix with blonde hair and obey you?"

Andy laughed, turned to Ted and started signing. She didn't notice the whole room looking at her.

"''Remind me to talk to Dumbledore about lending them our house elf. They need help cleaning the house''"

Ted looked confused, "''I thought they had a house elf?''"

Andy rolled her eyes, "''His name is Kreature and he hates us. He's still loyal to my aunt even though she's dead. He thinks we're all blood traitors and mudbloods and that we should all die. He keeps undoing all the work they're doing.''"

Ted looked amused, "''Okay. But I think now you should explain to everyone who doesn't know why you are signing to me and not talking. They looked confused.''"

Andy looked around the room, "Oh!" She smiled and started talking and signing at the same time, "Ted lost his hearing in the first war. He's deaf. This shouldn't stop you from talking to him though, he can read lips, and he can speak. He just might sound a little different is all."

Harry turned to Tonks, "Is that why you talk with your hands? You're signing? I just thought you were… being you."

Tonks tried to look innocent while everyone laughed.

Now that the attention was on her daughter, Andromeda sighed, exasperated.

"Nymphadora, will you please drop the image. I would like to see my daughter once in awhile."

The whole room turned to Tonks then.

Ron spoke, "We've never seen what you really look like have we Tonks?"

"Mom!" Tonks whined, "The only ones who knows what I look like is Sirius and Remus. It's so much fun to keep them guessing!"

"Come on, Tonks! Let's see what you look like!" Charlie called out.

"Yea!" Bill joined in, "Come on Tonks! Let us see."

"Alright!" Tonks stood up so everyone could see her and relaxed her face.

One moment of silence and then…

"Damn!" Ron exclaimed, voicing the thoughts of most of the room.

Tonks now had long, wavy, light brown hair. Her skin was pale and her eyes were as blue as Sirius's. Her features were elegant and her figure curvy in the right places as she stood in her 5"8 frame.

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley reprimanded.

"You…" Fred started.

"Look like…" George continued but wasn't able to finish.

"A Black?" Sirius finished, looking amused.

"Yea." Charlie agreed, dumbfounded.

Tonks waited for them to stop staring. They didn't.

"Stop looking at me! What? You've never seen a Black before? You live with Sirius. You should be used to it!" With that she turned and exited dramatically.

Or… she would have exited dramatically if she had not tripped over her own foot and fallen flat on her face.

"Nope." Harry commented. "Still Tonks."

The room laughed as Mrs. Weasley floated their lunch to the table.

After lunch was over, Remus looked to Harry.

"We'll put Neville in with you, Draco and Ron for the time being, and Luna will stay with Hermione and Ginny. Would you show them where their rooms are so they can get settled?"

"Yea. Come on Neville. It'll be just like school… but without Seamus to talk in his sleep about purple bunnies."

While the teens were climbing the stairs Draco pulled Harry aside.

"Maybe you should explain to Long-… Neville, that I'm not going to kill him in his sleep? He looks like he thinks I'm about to throw Avada Kedavra at him at any given moment."

Harry looked into Draco's silver-blue eyes and had to concentrate to answer the blonde,

"I-I will. We'll all sit down and fill them in on what's been going on. I promise."

Draco's eyes narrowed, "What was that?"

"What was w-what?" Harry stuttered.

"_That_. Why are you stuttering? You only stutter when you're nervous. Why are you nervous?" Draco asked him.

"I'm not nervous!" Harry said defensively, deliberately not stammering.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Fine, don't tell me. But look," Draco looked around and sighed, "I know I'm always coming to you on this subject and I really shouldn't because I know it's bound to be annoying but… Ron is getting on my nerves. He hasn't stopped calling me a little 'Death Eater in training' and now he's progressed to calling me a 'spy who will sell you all out once I get close enough to you'." Draco looked at Harry then, "You believe me right? You know I'm not a Death Eater? I'm not about to go and-"

"Draco." Harry interrupted him, "I know. You're my friend. Don't worry. I'll talk to Ron again and if that doesn't work we'll go to Sirius and Remus. Do you mind me talking to him in front of everybody or would you rather I talked to him alone?"

Draco smiled at him, not noticing as Harry swallowed, "I don't mind. Come on. Let's catch up to the others." He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him to the room they were all sitting in.

Draco let go of Harry's hand and went to sit next to Ginny, who he had grown close to in the past week. Harry sat next to Hermione who was leaning against the headboard.

"Okay. Well, Neville, Luna, you're probably wondering why Draco is here and why I'm calling him Draco instead of something more insulting." He paused as Draco threw a pillow at him, ignoring the amazed look he got from Neville. "Draco here refused to take the Dark Mark so his father… um…" Harry hesitated, not knowing how much Draco wanted him to reveal.

"My father tortured me and killed my mother. He then proceeded to torture Professor Snape, who is my godfather, when he helped me escape. I'm not really the git I've been to you all these years and I would really like to be your friend, but I'll understand if you don't want that. Just know that I'm not about to go and kill you in your sleep." Draco explained all in one breath.

Neville's eyebrows raised and he looked to Ginny, who was the closest, "Does he always babble like that?"

Ginny smiled, "Only when he's nervous."

Neville smiled and turned to Draco, "It may be a little weird and it may take some getting used to but I'm willing to give you a chance."

Ron rolled his eyes and looked away, shaking his head.

"Ron, stop it. Draco is good, and he's here to stay for as long as he wants. Would you let go of a stupid grudge? Draco has more then made up for it and he's been nice to you even when you don't deserve it."

"He's a Malfoy! He'll always be evil! I bet he's just biding his time so he can give you over to you-know-who or something!" Ron turned to Draco and continued, "I saw you in the Library. Surrounded by books on Dark Magic and writing spells down. What were you doing, huh, Malfoy? What were you doing if you weren't planning something against us?"

Draco stood up then, "I was researching! On horocruxes! How they work and how to destroy them! To know how to destroy one you need to know how to make one. I'm doing more then you are! You're just sitting there and moping about- what good is that going to do? We're at war, Ron, whether you like it or not and I'm not going to limit myself to "Light magic" just because you think I should. There is no Light or Dark magic, Ron, only the power that is put into them."

"What is that supposed to mean? You see?! He admits that he uses Dark magic, Harry! How can you trust him?"

"There is no such thing as Dark magic. Harry is going to have to use an unforgivable curse to kill Voldemort, which is not going to make him a Dark Wizard. If you lift a person up with Windgardium Leviosa 15 stories and let them go, you'll kill them. It makes you a murderer. Just because I'm researching Dark magic it does not mean I'm going to betray any of you. I just want to help."

Ron stalked out of the room.

Draco sighed and sat down again, looking defeated.

"Don't worry about it, Draco." Hermione comforted him while Ginny put her arm around him.

"So." Neville started, "Sirius Black, eh, Harry? So much for trying to kill you."

"Yes, well…" Harry smirked, "Once you get to know him he's not so bad." They all laughed, knowing Harry was much closer to Sirius then he was letting on.

"I must admit, this whole situation is very weird." Neville confessed.

"What could you possibly mean Neville?" Sirius said while walking in the room, levitating a bed behind him, "Moving in with the boy-who-lived and his adoptive parents who just happen to be your old defense teacher, who's a werewolf, and a falsely accused mass murderer that escaped from Azkaban. Mind you, said escapee took advantage of the fact that you wrote all the passwords to the Gryffindor tower down and "lost" them to get into your dorm room in the middle of the night and scare you all half to death; sorry about that by the way. What's weird about the situation?" Sirius smirked amusedly while the teens snickered.

"I don't understand what is so weird either. Perhaps you can explain it to me, Neville." Luna said dreamily.

"Um… maybe later, Luna." Neville answered.

Sirius and Draco were looking at her weirdly so Harry decided to change the subject.

"Ron still thinks Draco is planning something horrible towards us, Daddy. Maybe you could talk to him? Please? He's starting to get on everyone's nerves now."

Sirius sighed, "I'll see what I can do, pup. Meanwhile, Dumbledore is seeing about getting us a house-elf and we have more hands to put to work so we might actually get the second floor clean. While we're doing that, Moody and some others are going onto the third, fourth, and fifth floors to clean them out of anything dangerous and while they're doing that I don't want any of you going up there, understood?"

They all blinked at him.

"We have a fifth floor?" Harry asked, looking astonished.

Sirius looked amused, "Yes. This is the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. You didn't really think two floors and an entrance was all there was to it did you? I at least expected Draco to figure it out."

Draco blushed, "I didn't think this was the main Manor."

"It isn't." Sirius laughed, "It's the third largest. The Blacks are very proud of their money and not afraid to show how much of it they have. This isn't the house I grew up in; it's the house my parents and aunts and uncles sent us to when they wanted to punish us. Anyway, stay away from those floors. We start cleaning it tomorrow with the help of a good house-elf. Other then that, you guys are free to do whatever for the rest of the afternoon." Sirius smiled at them and ran a hand through Harry's hair before leaving.

Ginny turned to Harry, "How come we never noticed we had a fifth floor? You would think we would notice."

Harry was still speechless, "…I don't know."

"I'm going to the library. I think I'm close to figuring something out." Draco said, getting up.

"Okay. I'll join you later." Harry smiled at him. Draco returned the smile and left.

Hermione shook her head while Ginny mocked him, "I'll join you later, Draco. I'm tripping over myself for you, Draco. You're too dense to notice that I'm falling madly in love with you, Draco." Ginny fanned herself and put a hand to her forehead dramatically.

"Shut up!" Harry tackled her onto the floor and proceeded to tickle her mercilessly. "I do not like him. I'm just being friendly."

The others in the room snorted.

"I don't!"

3 3 3

Harry walked into the library, blushing and nervously playing with his tongue ring. Draco looked up from the floor where he was encircled by books and papers.

"Hey." He smiled.

Harry smiled back, "Hey. Need any help? It is my butt that's on the line here, and here you are slaving over books and I'm not even helping."

Draco laughed; pulling on the threadbare shirt that Mrs. Weasley gave him until he could buy his own things, "That's okay. I don't mind really. This stuff is kind of interesting, in a scary sort of way. But I want you to read this," Draco handed him a thick, leather-bound book, "It describes how to make a Horocrux. As much as I know you don't want to know how to make one, you have to know. It's the only way you can learn how to destroy them… though I'm still trying to find out how exactly that is. The diary was just dumb luck on your part and the way Dumbledore destroyed the ring was too dangerous for you to attempt."

Harry sighed, resigned, and sat down next to him, "I don't really have a choice then, do I?" He opened the book and started reading.

About half an hour later, Draco spoke.

"Harry, I think I've found something interesting."

"Oh?" Harry looked up, looking slightly pale at what he was reading.

"Yea." Draco shifted so the book he was holding was on the floor, "It says here that the only way to make use of a Horocrux when you're a soul-less… thing… is through a ceremony where you put another piece of the soul into the body."

"Go on…" Harry prompted, giving Draco his full attention.

"Well… What if you destroyed the piece of Voldemort soul the night your parents were attacked and then Wormtail performed the ceremony… We would only have three Horocruxes to look for. Well, two really, since Nagini is one of them.

They were silent for a minute.

"Shall we go talk to my fathers?" Harry asked.

"We shall."

Draco went to the Drawing Room while Harry went to find Sirius and Remus. Harry went down into the kitchen to find Sirius, Remus, Andromeda, and Ted in conversation. They all looked up when he came in.

"Oh… sorry. Is this a bad time? I can come back." Harry said already turning to go out of the room.

"No. What did you need, cub?" Remus asked him, smiling.

"Um… Draco found something on the Horocruxes and we wanted to see if you thought the same." Harry said, barely managing to not whisper in shyness.

Sirius and Remus immediately stood up, "We'll be right back." Sirius said to his cousin, and she shooed him away.

"Go on. Go take care of your son; we'll be right here when you get back." She turned to Harry, "I want to talk to you later, Harry. Nothing scary, I promise. Just want to catch up with you and Draco."

Harry blushed, "Okay."

Sirius chuckled and followed Harry out of the room and into the Drawing Room where Draco sat, waiting.

"Alright," Remus sat down, "What have you two got?"

Draco started explaining, "I read in one of the books in the library that a piece of the souls can be killed by a killing curse. The night Voldemort went after the Potters, according to Dumbledore, his curse meant to kill Harry rebounded on him. So that would have killed the piece of the soul that was in him at the time. Since he only had a piece of his soul in him, it killed the soul but not his body. He still had a somewhat reduced version of his body. Like a deformed… weird… mutant baby. Sort of. Anyway, Wormtail was with him that night of the third task. What if he performed the sick ceremony to restore a piece of the soul from the Horocrux back into the body? If we can get someone to make him confess that he knows about the horocruxes and that he used one to resuscitate Voldemort, and which Horocrux he used, we only have two horocruxes to look for, since we already know one of them is Nagini."

Remus and Sirius looked at each other and then Remus spoke, "I'll floo Dumbledore. Can I have that book Draco?"

"Of course." He handed the book to him. "I'm going to take a shower," He stated after Remus left, "The library is awfully dirty."

Sirius sat down next to Harry and said, "Wow."

"Yea." Harry responded, "We're so articulate."

Sirius laughed and pulled Harry down to lay next to him, Harry's head on his shoulder.

"Are you nervous about your trial?" Harry asked softly.

Sirius sighed, "Nervous about getting cleared? Not really, they're going to drug me with a lot of Veritaserum. Nervous that you're going to have to testify. Nervous of the things you and Remus are going to have to hear." Sirius hugged Harry closer. Harry wrapped his arm around his waist and let Sirius pull him as close as possible, his head now comfortable against Sirius's chest. "Nervous about what you're going to think of me when you hear and/or see the thinks I'm going to have no control over." He whispered.

Harry sighed and touched his forehead to Sirius's, "How many times do I have to tell you? Nothing you could do or say could make me hate you."

Sirius kissed Harry's forehead in silent thanks. Harry moved his head to a more comfortable position back on Sirius's chest. Sirius started to rub his back almost in a subconscious way.

"I love you, Harry." Sirius whispered.

Harry smiled slightly, feeling his heart swell.

"I love you too, Daddy."

Feeling Sirius's arm tighten slightly around him, Harry drifted off to sleep, listening to Sirius's breathing. Sirius followed shortly after.

A/N: WOO!!! Two months of not updating but I'll be damned if this isn't the longest chapter I've written! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all (even if it is a little late) Review please! I 3 you all!


	8. anyone have suggestions for ch names?

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Draco sighed as he got out of the shower. Grabbing a towel, he paused in front of the mirror, looking at the slashes on his body that would scar due to his father's potion-laced knife. He turned and looked at his back and thanked whatever deities there were that his father had not used the knife to carve the words on his back and they would eventually fade.

Shaking his head to clear it, Draco got dressed in the hand-me-downs from Harry that Sirius had shrunk considerably. He draped his towel on the door to dry and headed downstairs, responding to his growling stomach.

Upon entering the kitchen, Draco saw Remus, Ted, and Andromeda talking quietly. Blushing slightly, he said softly, "Am I interrupting?"

Andromeda was the first to smile and say, "Not at all Draco, we were just talking about you actually. Why don't you join us?"

Confused, Draco replied, "Err… Okay. Let me just get something to eat first. Where are Harry and Sirius?" he added, quickly going on to safer grounds as he walked to the pantry in search of food.

"Last I checked up on them, they were happily napping on the couch." Remus responded, joining in the search for food.

Draco looked at him then. "Napping?"

Remus looked puzzled as he looked at the blonde, "Yes, napping. Something wrong?"

Draco stepped out of the wide pantry holding a box of cheddar crackers awkwardly in his hands, but knowing better then to order Kreature to cook anything. "Not really, but Harry has been taking a lot of naps lately. Neville said he slept for thirty minutes or so before he joined me in the library and he fell asleep while waiting for me to get a book for him- that was about 10 minutes. I'm just curious as to why he is so tired."

Remus stepped out of the pantry then, a look of concern coming across his face, "Do you think he hasn't been sleeping well?"

Draco swallowed a flavored cracker before answering, "I don't really know. He goes to bed after we are all sleep and he's awake before any of us."

Ted raised his eyebrows and signed to his wife.

"Sounds to me like he's not sleeping at all." Andromeda translated for him.

Remus turned to Ted and said, "That's what I'm worried about."

Later that day, Remus was able to corner Harry into the drawing room as he was looking at the family tapestry. Deciding to take a gentle approach to the boy who was, for all intents and purposes, his son, he spoke softly,

"Fascinating, isn't it?"

Harry jumped a little and looked back at him, "A bit. Draco and I are second cousins."

Smiling inconspicuously Remus answered, "By adoption, yes. By marriage, Lucius Malfoy is your uncle and Bellatrix is your aunt. It shouldn't stop you from pursuing him, if that's what you're wondering."

"T-That's….not. I mean, I don't…err-"

Remus chuckled and cut him off, "I'm not blind, Bear. You would have to be not to notice the attraction between you two."

Harry turned deep red and looked away.

"I'll leave that for you to decide." Remus continued smiling.

Harry sighed and sat down on an armchair, defeated, "It's not that… I don't like him, but. I just…I'm scared. What if he gets hurt because of me?"

Remus pulled him out of the armchair and onto the couch with him, "Why would he get hurt because of you?"

"Papa, I'm the boy-who-lived. I've got several different, dangerous, sociopaths after me. What if they use him to get to me?"

Remus sighed, "You may be the boy-who-lived but to most of us in this house, you're just Harry. I think it's up to him to decide if it is worth that danger to be with you. Trust me; I learned that the hard way."

Harry looked up at him, "What do you mean?"

Remus smirked slightly, "Ever since we became friends, your Dad and I were never _just_ friends. There was always the underlying loyalty and attracting towards each other, and while we weren't together officially, most knew not to come between us. Until third year when puberty hit and we suddenly started realizing what it was that we felt towards each other. But I refused to act on it because, in my mind, it was too dangerous. I'm a werewolf. If I ever did something stupid or careless, he would be sent to Azkaban for keeping the secret that there was a dangerous creature on school grounds." Remus sighed, "By January of that year, Daddy thought I didn't like him back because I never acted on the hints he was sending me. He flirted shamelessly with me and I had to hold back because, in my book, I wasn't good enough for him. He didn't need a werewolf involved in his life that way."

Harry opened his mouth to protest but Remus didn't let him.

"He started dating girls, which was bizarre because we all knew he was gay and when we asked him about it he said something that shook me so much, I still remember it to this day. "There are very few people who I would risk getting disowned for. Being gay in my family is utterly unacceptable. I would not want to hide any relationship I might be in, but at the same time I'm not going to risk getting disowned for someone I don't care about. There may be a few people who I would risk getting disowned for," He looked at me then, "But there is only one person I would risk getting disowned for being in a relationship with them." By then, it was the end of third year, and I had the whole summer to think about what he said. At the beginning of fourth year, I started flirting back and he asked me to Hogsmeade."

Harry smiled at him, "That's romantic."

"Hmm." Remus looked at him seriously, "You can't stop living life because of Voldemort, Harry. If you do, he wins."

Harry sighed and leaned against his shoulder and Remus started running his hands through his hair.

"Changing the subject, do you want to tell me why you haven't been sleeping?"

Harry tensed, "What makes you think I haven't been sleeping?"

"Draco, actually. He told me you've taken several naps today and now that I think back on it, this is an ongoing pattern."

Harry sat up and hugged his knees to his chest, "I can't sleep. I have been trying to clear my mind before I go to bed but it doesn't always work. I keep having nightmares about what _he_ is doing and once I wake up, I can't go back to sleep."

Remus sighed, "Severus should be out of the hospital tomorrow and you two will start Occlumecy lessons once more."

Harry groaned, "That's what I was afraid of."

When it was time for supper, everyone gathered in the kitchen. Harry sat between Sirius and Ron and across from Draco, who was sitting next to Hermione and Neville, who was sitting next to Luna. Arthur, Charlie, Fred and George were also sitting at the table waiting for Molly to announce dinner was ready. When she did, the Weasleys all rushed to get the delicious food out of the various pots and pans that were sitting on the stove that had been brought in when they realized it was rather unsafe to have Kreature cook.

When they deemed it safe, the rest got up and headed towards the food. Seeing that Harry was in deep conversation with Hermione, both still sitting at the table, and would probably forget to get their own food, Sirius grabbed two more plates and with Remus's help started filling them with food.

Walking around the table, he set down the two plates in front of their respective owners and with a stern glance at both of them, stated, "Eat."

They both smiled and Harry said, "Thank you, Daddy."

Hermione quickly whispered to Sirius, "Can I talk to you after dinner?"

With a concerned glance at her, Sirius nodded.

Dinner was anything but quiet and when everyone was full and the conversation was casual Remus turned to Harry.

"I talked to Mme. Pomphrey and managed to convince her to give you a Dreamless Sleep potion just 3 or so days until Severus is fit to start teaching you again."

Harry looked surprised, "I thought I couldn't have that potion anymore. I thought I would get addicted."

Sirius turned to him, "You've gone without it for enough time so that 3 days won't make a difference as long as you take the right amounts and stop taking it after. You should be fine, baby boy."

Harry smiled, "In that case, thank you Papa."

Remus would have answered if Molly would not have gotten there first.

"This has gone on long enough, Harry dear, you need to stop with this Papa, Daddy business. They're not your fathers."

Half of the table looked startled and the other half, furious.

"Excuse you?" Sirius said with a quiet, deadly voice.

Molly seamed to be the only one oblivious to Sirius's tone of voice. "You heard me, don't pretend you didn't. This is ridiculous, you're not his father and neither is Remus. You two aren't even married- under the law, your 'marriage' is forfeit. Werewolves were forbidden to marry eight years ago and that law is still in effect today." Many gasped as she ventured into deadly territory, "I've held my tongue for two long and I hope you know that when you try to adopt him I will be on the other side making sure it does not happen-"

Andromeda had had enough. She stood up angrily, "How _dare_ you! You've no idea what you're talking about! To put somebody down like that- why?! Because you didn't get what you wanted? Harry doesn't see you as a mother so you deny him parents? You spoiled little bitch! Harry is Sirius's and Remus's son! He was their son even before Lily and James died! You didn't see them with Harry when he was a baby. Even Lily and James knew, as much as they didn't want to believe it, they knew in their hearts that Harry would end up in the care of their best friends. You are truly a shame to the Weasley name, you wench!" Andromeda stormed out of the kitchen and her husband followed her after throwing a furious glance at Molly.

Sirius looked ready to pick up where Andy left off but one look at Harry's frightened face made him calm down. He looked towards the woman who was recently added to everyone's hit list, "Let me ask you something Molly. Do you know what Harry's first word was? We do. Did you see him take his first step? We did. Were you there with him when he got the muggle flu when he was eight months old? We were. We stayed up all night, making sure he had his medicine when he needed it, making sure his fever wasn't too high, making sure he was comfortable. I don't know what makes a fit parent in your mind Molly, but in mine, I was a pretty damn good one. I was sent to Azkaban, yes. Because of my stupid mistake. For not realizing that nobody knew we had switched secret keepers. For underestimating Pettigrew. And I still kick myself till this day for it and I always will. I may not have been there for him in those twelve years, but neither were you. Don't you dare tell me that I'm not Harry's father, because as long as I live I will love him as my son. And as long as he tells me he loves me as his father, nothing can take that away from me no matter how hard you try." Sirius was in tears by now, as was most of the table. He looked at Harry and then at Remus and walked out of the kitchen.

Remus looked towards Molly, "You're no better then those bigots at the Ministry." He then looked at the teenagers, "After Sirius's trial you are to be packed and ready to go-"

Mrs. Weasley scoffed, "Who says he'll be found innocent?"

Arthur was the first one there, "Shut up, Molly."

Remus continued with a deadly look in his eyes, "We will be moving to another of Sirius's family home. They were never there so it doesn't have a lot of dark objects or magic, I have already sent Moody to check it out."

Arthur had a disappointed look in his eyes, "Do you mind if I send some of my kids with out Remus?"

"Not at all. Plenty of room there. It is bigger then this house. Just have them ready to leave on the 30th."

"You can't send them away! I won't let you! They're my kids!"

Arthur looked at his wife, fuming, "And right now, you are not acting as their mother. You want to act like a spoiled child, I will treat you like one." He turned towards his kids, "Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, you heard Remus. Be ready to leave on the 30th. Charlie, you're grown and fit to make your own decision." He turned back to his wife, "Never have I been so disappointed in someone I love."

The teenagers plus Charlie and Remus went out of the kitchen, knowing that if anyone would be able to set Molly straight, it would be her husband.

A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating when I promised. For all those who asked, the results came back negative so my sister does not have cancer but she does have something else which makes it extremely difficult for her to have kids. It is devastating and she's needed all the support she could get. I'm sure you understand. I hope you like this chapter, I cried while writing it :'(. I hope to update soon but I don't really know when I'll get the time to anymore ;) thank you guys so much for understanding and sticking to this fic  I promise I'm not abandoning it.


	9. Uber Short hides

Disclaimer: You all know the drill ;)

Disclaimer: You all know the drill ;)

To my wonderful Beta: XxDeadlyCorruptionxX I heart you!

July 27th, 1996. Continuation

As they were filing out of the kitchen, Harry, Hermione, and Remus all turned to go upstairs where they knew they would find Sirius in his bedroom. Ron, oblivious as he is, turned to follow before Draco put an arm out and stopped him.

"For once in your life, think before you act. They're going to make sure Sirius is okay, which means family only, Sherlock."

Ron, once again refusing to see reason, responded, "Hermione is going."

Draco sighed, silently asking Merlin for patience, "Hermione is muggle-born and as close as a sister to Harry. Her parents aren't here and since she is that close to Harry she looks to Sirius and Remus as her temporary parents. Sirius and Remus don't question it. They think of her as a daughter. She's family."

That seemed to hit Ron like a blow to the head, "And I'm not. Because I've been a git who doesn't like change. Merlin, I'm such dick."

"Yes, you are." Draco agreed, "What made you realize?"

Ron sighed, "Remus said my mum was no better than the bigots at the Ministry. Neither am I with the way I've been acting. Just because I don't like change I refuse to believe that people can change." He looked at Draco's raised eyebrow, "Sorry for acting like an arse. I should know better, what with the way I acted in fourth year and all."

Draco smirked, "Well, I don't know what happened in fourth year but you'll have to do better than that to earn my forgiveness." Draco waited for the foreboding expression to fill the red-head's face. "You'll simply have to play a game of Chess with me."

Ron's expression lifted, "You're not so bad… Draco."

Draco just raised an eyebrow, "We'll see what you have to say when I beat you." He turned and walked to the drawing room pompously, Ron following sheepishly behind.

Remus knocked lightly on the bedroom door and opened it slowly.

"Siri?"

Sirius looked up with stormy eyes, looking as if he were about to explode and rant on what happened downstairs. Seeing this, Remus opened the door some more to let him see that they had company. Sirius's expression changed and he looked as if he was doing his best to swallow the anger and hurt he felt.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and Hermione nodded as if confirming a silent question.

Harry smiled slightly and walked to Sirius, "Daddy…" He whispered, wrapping his arms around the man.

Sirius exhaled sharply and hugged him back firmly, as if that was the only affirmation he needed to hear.

Hermione smiled at the sight and leaned against Remus, tears coming to her eyes. Remus looked at her confused but she just raised the letter she was clutching and shook her head.

Harry saw this and nudged Sirius to look.

"Hermione?" Sirius prompted gently, sliding Harry to sit on his lap, "What's wrong?"

Hermione just shook her head harder as she desperately tried to stifle her sobs.

Harry sighed, "Mia…" He got up and went to her and she clung to his waist urgently, biting his t-shirt in an effort to keep quiet.

"Hey…" Remus soothed, running a hand through her hair, "Come on." He led them to the bed, closing the door as he went.

Sirius went to the bathroom and ran a washcloth under cold water. Returning to the room, he crouched down and gently pried Hermione's face away from his son's chest. She calmed down with each stroke of the cold cloth on her skin.

"There." Sirius smiled softly when she started breathing normally again.

Harry was looking impressed that Sirius could calm her down so fast but didn't get a chance to say anything as Remus pulled her to the middle of the bed so they were all more comfortable. Hermione immediately went to Harry once again, eyes pleading with him.

Harry kissed her forehead and nodded, gently prying the letter out of her reluctant hands. He looked at his almost-legal parents and handed them the wrinkled envelope that was causing the girl he thought of as his sister so much distress. He watched as his fathers' expression turned simultaneously into one of shock and dismay.

_Dear Ms. Granger,_

_We at the Ministry of Magic regret to inform you of the tragic death of your parents. As you may or may not know, when a muggle-born child such as you is introduced to the wizarding world, we cast a spell over the said child__'__s parents in case of emergencies that the child should be notified about. We have been alerted to the fact that the death of your mother occurred on the 25__th__ of July, 1996 at 15:38 p.m. and your father passed on the same day at 15:45 p.m. To our knowledge, they were caught in the middle of a muggle store robbery. To ensure the security of the Statue of Secrecy of our world, we have followed protocol and removed all records of your birth from the muggle world so that the muggle law enforcement will not look for you and possibly uncover something they shouldn__'__t. We have been informed that you are currently residing in a safe house, and in the light of this event, we ask you to please arrive at the Ministry of Magic on the 3__rd__ of August at 9:00 a.m. so that we may place you in a foster home. _

_Sincerely,_

_Belinda Adams_

_Child Services and Regulations_

_Ministry of Magic_

A/N: Its so short I know!! Please don't be mad! But this was the perfect place to cut it off, and I'll be updating again soon (for once). I'm sorry it took so long for me to update but a simple medical check-up is turning into my worst nightmare . Please review! Love you all!


	10. But could you bottle it up?

Disclaimer: Own nothing

Disclaimer: Own nothing. Please don't sue.  
July 27th, 1996. Continuation  
_Previously: Dear Ms. Granger, …… , we ask you to please arrive at the Ministry of Magic on the 3__rd__ of August at 9:00 a.m. so that we may place you in a foster home… …_

Sirius and Remus sat in stunned silence as the words on the crisp parchment rang in their minds. Hermione sat curled up to the soothing touches of her pseudo-brother, numb tears making their way down her flushed face.

"What am I going to do? I can't go to a foster home, I'm needed here. I still have so much I need to do. The war is so close and…-"

"I love you too much." Harry whispered, tears welling up in his desperate jade eyes,

"There has to be someway we can get around this."

Remus shook his head, "With the Ministry the way it is, practically being run by Death Eaters, you would probably be placed in danger for the sake of getting to Harry." He bit his lip, and, brows furrowed, continued, "There has to be something. Less honourable people have found plenty of loopholes to laws for less dignified causes."

Hermione's breath hitched as she got her tears under control, "My parents didn't have a will specifically saying to put me under a certain guardianship; under the law custody is automatically passed on to the Ministry until they can place me in an orphanage or a foster family." She recited monotonously before her face crumbled in despair. She whimpered before throwing herself into Remus' arms, "I don't want to go." She whispered simply.

Sirius rubbed ran his hand through her hair and Harry came to hug her from behind, laying his head on her shoulder.

Sirius clenched his jaw determinately, "You won't." He said irrevocability.

July 28th, 1996  
Hermione took another gulp from her mug of coffee as she stood to pull out yet another thick book from the never-ending shelves of Grimmauld Place library. Brushing off the layer of grime from the coarse cover she mouthed the title to herself and, leaning the book on her leg and opened the script to its index.

'_Wizarding Laws and Its Exceptions'_

She skimmed over the various chapter titles all the while wondering what kind of person had the time or patience to sit there and think of loopholes to every law in the Wizarding Community and why. She decided to let the subject go as her finger came to a stop on the words that made her heart race with hope.

'_Chapter 12: Laws Regarding Wizarding Children'_

Quickly, she made her way back to a part of the floor that was not occupied by the previous books she had already opened and bookmarked. Setting her mug aside she placed the book on the wood floor and momentarily sat back on her haunches. Glancing out the mucky window she sighed as she saw the sky brightening with the first rays of dawn. Rubbing her hands over her face she firmly blinked her eyes against the urge to curl up in a ball and hide in a dark corner.

She had to find a way out of this. Her heart clenched as she remembered why she was in this position but brutally pushed away the feeling for another time. Now was not the time for mourning her lost parents; now was the time to unearth something that could help her stay with the family she had left. She would find a solution. She always did. She was Hermione Jane-

The thought made her stop.

Who was she? Not Granger, not anymore- the Ministry had made sure of that.

Tensing her jaw, she aggressively redid the ponytail she pulled her hair into hours before. Enough of this.

She leaned over the book again and, scanning the page, turned and grabbed her wand. She tapped it twice on the words _'Muggle-born laws_' watching as the words on the page rearranged themselves.

As she came to a paragraph that caught her attention she quickly grabbed the muggle pen she had brought with her. Knowing Sirius could care less and beyond the point of caring herself she started underlining everything she could use.

Seating herself in the lotus position on the hard flooring, she once again grasped the blue mug and circled all the references the book offered as aid with the blue ink. She tipped the rest of her caffeine infused drink into her mouth then pulled herself to her knees. She paused as she felt someone standing behind her.

"I'm not stopping, Harry. Not until I find something, so you might as well go back to bed." She said matter-of-factly. She stretched her arms above her head and sighed as her spine cracked, releasing some of the tension in her back. Coming out of the stretch, she almost fell over as she heard a voice she wasn't expecting.

"I gave Harry a Dreamless Sleep potion a fair few hours ago and I thought I did the same to you. The fact that you are awake, however, contradicts that."

She stood and faced the figure standing in the doorway. She swallowed, knowing she was caught but raised her head defiantly, "I spit it out when you weren't looking. Why are you awake?"

Sirius smirked faintly, "If I wasn't so worried about you, I might have been proud of your slyness, Mia." He said, purposefully using the nickname Harry gave her to show he wasn't angry- merely concerned. "I am awake because I went to check that the potion was still working on you and Harry or if I needed to give you another small dose to get you to sleep for a few more hours. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to your room and only found Ginny."

Hermione sighed, "I'm sorry for worrying you."

"You're forgiven," Sirius smiled, "However, it is now 5:30 in the morning and you, young lady, are going to bed."

Hermione took a step back and shook her head, "No. I'm not. I have to find something."

Sirius frowned somewhat, "Yes. You are. You have been awake the whole night and after a shock like that- Mia, you have to give your body and your mind time to adjust."

"I don't have time!" Hermione screamed uncharacteristically, "Don't you understand?! I now have a week- 7 _days_! - to find a loophole that will allow me to stay with the only family I have left!"

By this time, Hermione's hysterics had woken up most of the house's residents and they gathered to see who was shouting so early in the morning. Hermione barely noticed her audience as Sirius stepped towards her,

"I know that." Sirius said softly, gently grabbing her shoulders to keep her from stepping back once more, "But you have to sleep. You'll make more progress if you're rested-"

Hermione cut him off sharply, "No! I don't have time for sleep! I need to keep looking! Don't you _want_ me to stay?! There has to be something, somewhere-"

"Of _course_ I want you to stay!" Sirius insistently, framing her reddish pink face in his hands, he forced her to look in his eyes, "You have become like a daughter to me, Mia,  
don't you _ever_ doubt that. But you wearing yourself out like this will do no good to anybody!"

Suddenly Hermione's fight left her as emotions won over, "But I have to." She mouthed wetly, "I'm losing everything." She whispered desperately, tears making her eyes sting, "My mom, my dad, and even my _name._ I have to find something to keep me from losing everything else I hold dear. Can't you see that?" She asked him, gripping to his t-shirt as if it was her life-line.

"Yes, sweetheart, I can." Sirius answered sincerely, pulling her to him, "You are exhausted. Go get some sleep, and when you wake we'll come back here and I'll help, How much of that," He gestured to the plethora of books on the floor, "have you actually retained? Look at me, Mia,"

Hermione tore her gaze from the books and raised sleep-heavy brown eyes to anxious blue, "It's okay to let yourself grieve. It's not healthy to keep such strong emotion like that bottled up inside- you only end up yelling at me." Hermione's lips twitched faintly as tears once again made their way down her face, "Let it out, baby girl, I'm right here to keep you safe." Sirius whispered in her ear.

Hermione made a last useless attempt at swallowing her tears before finally collapsing against him, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders and let out anguished-filled sobs. Sirius merely rocked her softly, not shushing her or telling her it was okay, just holding her close and providing a place to hide as she properly started to grieve her lost parents.

Sirius tightened his hold on her when her knees gave out and swiftly picked her up as if she were a toddler. He turned and walked out of the library with the bawling girl in his arms, ignoring the questioning looks and shaking his head when Ginny made to step forward and touch her friend. Turning his gaze away from Mrs. Weasley's disapproving stare, he merely made his way to Hermione's bedroom as it was the only room he was now sure was unoccupied. Glancing down at the nearly hyperventilating teenager in his arms, he knew it would be a while before she would be able to see anyone. Determined to stay beside her as an anchor, he shut the bedroom door and effectively shut the world out for a few hours.


	11. Magick, Alchemy, and oh look Birdie!

Disclaimer: … -le sigh- Nothing belongs to me yadda yadda yadda.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to EsirisM , who after a year from you all hearing nothing from me actually reviewed this story two days ago.

And cookies are given to olupotter18 for unknowingly guessing at what was going to happen XD Nice job.

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_Previously:… __Turning his gaze away from Mrs. Weasley's disapproving stare, he merely made his way to Hermione's bedroom as it was the only room he was now sure was unoccupied. Glancing down at the nearly hyperventilating teenager in his arms, he knew it would be a while before she would be able to see anyone. Determined to stay beside her as an anchor, he shut the bedroom door and effectively shut the world out for a few hours._

July 28th Continuation

Remus watched as his husband took the crying teen to her bedroom and shut the door.

"Go back to your rooms. It's early yet and we have a big day tomorrow. Go on." He shooed the kids to their rooms, pulling Ginny to stay behind. The adults stayed for a second more before coming to the conclusion that there was nothing they could do. Arthur glared at his wife and pulled her away when she made an attempt to go to Hermione.

"She's being taken care of." He said sternly and watched as his Molly walked away to the kitchen in a huff. He turned to tell Remus that she meant well but seeing the look on his face, knew that it was useless. The woman _had_ just belittled him as a parent. He walked away to get ready for work.

Remus looked at the young redhead, "Come on, you can rest for a bit more in Harry's or Draco's bed."

Ginny nodded but didn't say anything, gaze lingering as they passed the door to her shared room.

"She'll be okay, Ginny. She just lost her parents. And the Ministry is mocking her loss by saying that it was a muggle store robbery. We're all intelligent enough to realize that that is not true. It didn't mention how they died but I bet it was at the end of a wand that belongs to a Death

Eater." He said, furious at the Ministry for still trying to cover things like this up.

Ginny shook her head, "How do you know?"

Remus smiled bitterly, "They did the same thing to my parents. I was able to prove them wrong, but in their death records it still states "Death by Muggle means." The Ministry isn't very keen on admitting they were wrong in any way."

"That's disgusting." Ginny whispered as they arrived at the boys' room.

Without being prompted, she crawled into Harry's bed and cuddled up to him, needing comfort. Draco watched them quietly before turning over and falling back asleep; Ron, however, didn't even wake up in the first place.

Harry's eyes fluttered opened and Remus moved to reassure him.

"What's going on?" He asked, arms going around the redhead that was softly crying into his shoulder. "Where's Mia?" He started to get up, realizing what must be happening but Remus stopped him.

"Harry." He said, framing the worried face in his hands, "Daddy's got her. There's nothing you can do for her now, except get more rest so you can support her later."

"But…" He was stopped from going further as Remus pushed him down.

"But nothing. Sleep some more, we'll wake you later. Would you like a little more Dreamless Sleep or do you think you can do without it?"

"I'm tired enough to fall asleep without it." He answered, turning on his back so Ginny could use him as a pillow, "Papa?"

Remus turned back to him, stifling a smile at how easily the title fell from Harry's lips, "Yes, baby boy?"

"Tell Mia I love her."

Remus smiled sadly and pressed a kiss to his brow, "I will, Harry. Get some sleep." He stayed, running his fingers through unruly hair until Harry and Ginny fell asleep again. Getting up, he softly closed the door before making his way to the library.

He entered the dusty room, looking around sadly at the plethora of books on the floor. His eyes fell on what he guessed was the last book Hermione was looking at. He moved to it and picked it up, going to a table. Scanning the page, he stopped to read the underlined portion.

"_A wizarding child under the age of 17 is to be sent to a foster home until they have reached that age. _

_Loophole: A child below the age of 17 can also be adopted if that option is available. A person willing to adopt said child must present proof that they can support the child financially, emotionally, and mentally. As long as the court is shown proof of all of the above, they cannot deny the request for adoption, but may send a person to spy on the family for up to 4 days to ensure it is a safe environment."_

Remus leaned back on his chair, the wheels in his head already turning. 'First stop, Gringotts.' He thought, getting up to head to the bank.

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Sirius closed his eyes, tightening his arms around the girl sobbing into his shoulder, his heart breaking more and more by the second. She had been dozing and crying on and off for the past 3 or so hours and Sirius was starting to wonder if he would have to get a Calming Potion for her.

It was a few more minutes before her cries softened into hitched breaths and hiccups. Running a hand up and down her back, he opened his eyes when she started speaking.

"I told them about you in the end of last year. They were extremely surprised that the wizarding world could be so unjust. I think they had this notion that everything was perfect where there was magic. I told them about how you and Remus treated Harry and me as your children when we were around, especially during the school year when I couldn't be with them."

Sirius kissed her head softly, "What did they say?"

He could feel her smile sadly against his chest, "That they were happy for me. That, while they missed me and wished they could be with me, they were glad I had surrogate parents when they weren't around." She let out a breathy laugh, "Did you know that even before Harry started saying it to your faces he still referred to you and Remus as Daddy and Papa when it was just him and me?"

Sirius's eyebrows went up and he shook his head.

Hermione nodded, "Eventually, I got so used to it that when we're alone I use the same terms. I once used it accidently in front of my parents and I thought they would be really hurt but they weren't. They explained to me that they knew in their hearts that I loved them and that they held a special part in my heart. And that they were okay with the fact that I thought of you two as a second set of parents."

Sirius bit his lip and swallowed the bittersweet feeling he was getting. The girl had just lost her parents, but to think of the fact that he was thought of as a parent to her…

"Daddy…" She whispered.

Sirius tightened his arms, "Yes, baby girl?"

She looked up at him with tired eyes, "You won't let them take me away, will you?"

Sirius looked into her eyes, "Never."

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Remus waved to Tom the barkeeper as he stepped into the flames and flooed back to Grimmauld Place. Stepping out of the fireplace and into the gloomy kitchen, he ignored Mrs. Weasley, gripped the document he held in his hands and ran upstairs.

Coming to a stop in front of Hermione's bedroom door, he paused as he heard the last of their conversation.

"Daddy…"

A beat.

"Yes, baby girl?" Came the sound of his husband's voice. He was almost startled enough to miss the next thing that was said.

"You won't let them take me away, will you?"

"Never."

Figuring he could ask Sirius later, he knocked softly on the door.

'_It's me at the door. I have some news for Mia.'_

The door unlocked and he walked in. His eyes fell on Hermione and he let out a sympathetic sigh. The blonde closed the door behind him, locking it once more, before sitting down next to the two on the bed.

Quickly glancing at his watch, he noted that it was around 8 in the morning which gave them a fair few hours to get things ready not only for the plan that had conjured itself in his head but also gave them enough time to explain to Harry what would come on his birthday. He looked back up at the expectant faces and took a breath,

"Do you remember the last book you read? The one with all the loopholes?"

It took Hermione a minute or so to remember what book he was talking about, her brain trying to play catch-up. After a pause she nodded, waiting for him to go on.

"The loophole you underlined... the one about the adoption? Would you consider giving us the privilege?" Remus asked softly, looking into red-rimmed eyes.

Sirius was looking confusedly between the two, "What are you talking about? What loophole?"

Remus glanced at him, _'You'll see. If she agrees, it will be an answer to this. I know you'll be ecstatic so I know I don't need to ask.' _

Sirius narrowed his eyes, the wheels starting to turn in his head, but looked to Hermione for her answer.

Hermione got to her knees shakily on the bed, "You would? Just like that?"

Remus pressed his lips together in mild annoyance, "How could you even ask me that? You know we would. We already think of you as one of us anyway."

Remus had barely finished his sentence when he had an armful of teenaged girl.

"May I know what's going on?" Sirius said, already guessing at the events taking place but wanting to hear it anyway.

"We'll have to prepare for two adoptions come July 30th instead of just one." Remus replied, lips twitching into a bittersweet smile.

Sirius smiled softly, "Yeah. That's what I thought." He said, kissing Hermione first on the head and then giving his husband an understanding kiss to the lips.

Suddenly, Hermione broke out of the embrace and went to the door.

"Mia?" Sirius asked, confused.

Instead of answering, Hermione yanked the door opened and started racing down the hall. Coming to a stop at Harry's bedroom door, she ignored the footsteps behind her and went in. The brunette didn't even glance at the second body on her brother's bed, instead choosing to dive at him, startling him awake.

"Mia?"

She squeezed him tighter and started whispering in his ear, not noticing Ginny's confused grumbles as she was forced awake, "Daddy and Papa are offering to adopt me so I don't have to go to a foster home. Are you okay with that?"

Harry smiled and squeezed her back, "How could you even ask me that?"

She giggled, a little hysterically, at how much he sounded like Remus at that moment but snuggled down into his embrace nevertheless, quickly falling into an exhausted sleep. Harry blinked at the sudden turn of events and looked at his parents standing in the doorway while Ginny grumpily made her way towards Draco's now empty bed.

"You're really going to adopt her?" He asked hopefully.

Remus smiled slightly and went to him. He bent down, brushing a kiss first on his son's forehead and then on his newest child's head.

"Yes."

He moved back to Sirius while his mate started talking to Harry, "Despite this new turn of events, we have to speak to you about something important. So sleep for a bit more, then when you wake come find us."

Harry smiled, "Okay." He said, eyelids already getting heavy once more. The last thing he saw before he was once again taken by sleep was his Daddy blowing a kiss in their direction, the love in his expression enough to make Harry's breath catch slightly.

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When he next woke, Harry blinked in confusion for a second before the events of the day caught up with him. He looked at the clock on his bedside table, absentmindedly running his hand up and down Mia's arm.

_"Ten fifteen. Wow... I haven't slept this much or this well in awhile."_

He got up, careful to not wake his sister. He quietly got dressed and headed out of the room, making sure to close the door behind him.

"Hey."

Jumping in fright he quickly spun, nearly falling down in the process. He bumped into the person who had called out to him and looked up.

"Draco. Gods, don't do that."

Draco laughed, along with Ginny, Neville, and Luna who were in his company.

"I apologize. Why so jumpy Harry?" He snickered as Harry glared as an answer, "Sirius and Remus want to speak with you, and they're in the kitchen if you're wondering. I was just going to grab a book and then we were all heading up to the library if you want to join us afterwards."

Harry blushed slightly but nodded, not trusting himself to say anything. Ginny and Neville hid their smirks behind their hands and started heading towards the library, dragging a daydreaming Luna behind. Draco just smiled, slightly on the oblivious side as he quietly went into the room Harry had just left.

Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts and started down the stairs, towards the kitchen. Carefully tiptoeing across the entrance hall, he opened the door to the kitchen and went in. He paused in the doorway, wondering what his parents were doing. They were surrounded by parchment, flipping through and organizing sheet after sheet and occasionally checking something off a list that was floating in the air above them. If Harry wasn't so confused, he would have taken time to be impressed at how his parents moved so well around each other, not once bumping or stumbling as they continuously shuffled around. He cleared his throat, smiling when they looked up and immediately started clearing off part of the table so they could sit.

"What's going on?" He asked, heading for a chair across from Sirius as Remus started making tea, "What are you two doing?"

"Getting ready for my trial as well as getting documents organized for yours and Hermione's adoptions." Sirius said, smiling.

Remus came back to the table, carrying three cups and setting them down on the table, "Now, Harry. What do you know about Magical Inheritances?"

Harry's brow furrowed, "What's that?"

"Nothing I take it." Sirius chuckled.

Remus looked at the green eyed teen, "When a Witch or Wizard reaches the age of 16 they receive what's known as a Magical Inheritance. To most, all a Magical Inheritance is, is a boost of power, or an affinity to a certain subject of Magic. Your new power takes some getting used to which is part of the reason you come of age when you are 17. You have at least one year, if not two, at Hogwarts to train yourself and your powers."

Harry sighed, "I'm anything but normal so I'm guessing you're going to tell me what's going to happen." He paused as the two adults smirked and nodded, "What do you mean a subject of Magic? Like Potions or Defense?"

Remus knew Harry was just unconsciously stalling the inevitable but, as he was already planning to explain it anyway, decided to humor him, "Somewhat." He got up to sit next to his son, "Magic," He paused to write the word in the air with his wand, "As we know it, is simply a combination of two, more powerful, subjects called," He once again brought his wand up, writing the words above Magic as he said them, "Magick and Alchemy."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Magick and Magic? What's the difference? And who was the genius to come up with that one?"

Sirius laughed loudly, "That's what I asked too."

Remus smiled, "Magick," He said pointing to the word, "Is not capable of what muggles like to call "miracles". It can't violate the laws of the universe; it can only cause in any object any change of which that object is already capable of doing by nature. For example, Transfiguration is a Magic. When you turn a chair into a pig, it violates the laws of the universe. It shouldn't be possible, but it is. And it's made possible because of Alchemy. Alchemy is combining the elements of chemistry, metallurgy (the science and technology of metals), physics, medicine, Mysticism, and art all as part of one greater force. Your wand is, essentially, Alchemy. It has a certain core and a specific wood that calls to your Magickal core so you can channel your Magick and make the impossible possible." He paused, waiting for Harry to indicate he understood before he continued, "Magic is more complex but, by combining the two the way the wizarding world does, it is weaker then the two that make it. In ancient times, before there were wands, Wizards and Witches used Alchemy circles, which is where art comes in, to make Magic more powerful but it is extremely inconvenient to have to stop whatever it is you are doing, spend five minutes, at the least, drawing and then having to make sure the circle is correct... well. You get my point."

"Okay." Harry said, scratching his head, "I think I understand. What exactly are Alchemy circles?"

Sirius took up the explanation, "Everything has Magick. Everything has the potential to be something else." He picked up his empty teacup, "For example. This teacup is made of ceramic. Therefore, it has the potential to be anything and everything made of ceramic, it just happens to be in the shape of a teacup. Alchemy circles take that potential, enhances it and makes it possible for you to make it anything you want it to be. But when you mix the Magick that we possess inside and perform a circle, you make Magic; so you can change it to anything, regardless of what chemicals it possesses or laws of physics. Like this," He then picked up a marker that was sitting by and started drawing an Alchemy circle on the cup. When he was finished, he pressed his finger to the circle, centering his Magick on that spot, and watched as the cup turned into a blue bird and flew out the window.

Harry's eyes widened, "Whoa."

"Exactly." Sirius chuckled, "However, if a muggle were to attempt an Alchemy circle, they wouldn't be able to change the chemical make-up of the thing they were trying to change. They would simply end up with something else made of the exact thing the original object was made of because they don't possess Magick. Do you understand?"

"I think so." Harry sighed, feeling a headache coming on, "But what does this have to do with me?"

Remus cleared his throat, "Old wizarding families, purebloods if you will, tend to have more power then the newer ones. Its part of the reason so many purebloods join Voldemort in the first place. What they don't realize, however, is that if we were to excommunicate everyone but the purebloods from the wizarding world, we would all die out extremely fast." He took a breath, "The Potters are an extremely old family, Harry, and a very powerful one at that. When James came into his Inheritance, he became what is called an Elemental. In simple terms, the Magick in him decided it loved one of the elements and therefore made a bond. This enabled him to control said element at will and without a wand. To balance that out, however, his body made a preserve of Magick and evolved it to Magic so that he no longer needed a wand. The Alchemic properties he needed was all in his head, all he had to do was think about what he wanted to happen and his body and his Magick would do the rest. It makes Magic... extremely powerful."

"So," Harry started, trying to take it all in, "His Magick pretty much decided it was sick of a wand?"

Sirius's expression cleared for a minute, "If you want to put it that way, yes. You'll understand more after your birthday, trust me."

Harry nodded, past the point of arguing, "You're from an old wizarding family, aren't you, Daddy?"

Sirius smiled, "Very good." He brought his hands up and cupped them in front of his face. Harry blinked as he felt the air around him become dryer then widened his eyes as he saw water filling up the cupped hands. Sirius smirked mischievously and jerked his hands up, laughing when his son sputtered as the water hit his face. Stopping Harry from wiping his face off, he concentrated and smiled as the water appeared to evaporate. Harry's eyes widened and he ran a hand down his now dry face,

"How did you do that?" He asked in wonder.

Sirius smiled, "Water has the ability to evaporate, yes?" He waited until Harry nodded, "I just… encouraged it a bit. Just like I encouraged the hydrogen and oxygen particles in the air to become one and change into water." He snapped his fingers and watched as the Remus's previously empty cup filled with water.

"I'm gonna be able to do that?" Harry asked excitedly.

Remus and Sirius exchanged glances, "We don't know." Remus said, "No one ever knows what powers which person is going to get but we're pretty sure you are. That's why we're explaining everything to you now. The Potter line is filled with Fire Elementals, and we think you'll Inherit that bit of power. But the way adoption works in the wizarding world, you may Inherit mine and Daddy's powers as well."

"What do you mean, the way adoption works? Why would I Inherit you powers? And what powers do you have, Papa?" He asked, confused.

Remus winked and pointed to the plant by the window. Harry's eyes lit up when he saw the dead plant come back to life and bloom at an accelerated pace. He turned back to face Remus,

"So you can control Earth? I didn't know the Lupins were an old family."

Remus nodded, "We are. Most people don't acknowledge it because everyone is gone except me and I'm a "Dark Creature". Which is why all the money in the Lupin accounts at Gringotts are frozen."

Harry frowned, "That's not fair."

Sirius agreed, "A lot about the way the Ministry is running things isn't fair, Bear. We're hoping to change things soon but for now, it's just the way things are."

"As to your other question," Remus continued, "Wizarding adoptions are different because it's not just on paper. The child being adopted drinks a potion that literally adds to the biological make-up of your body. You may change the way you look, not drastically mind you, but just enough. For example, Daddy's skin used to be extremely pale, the normal hue of Black genetics, just like Andromeda's. Almost sickly looking." At this point he smirked at a glaring Sirius but continued, "When your grandparents adopted him, his skin lost the sick look and started to look healthier. He also gained the ability to tan, something that was completely impossible before then. If you don't know the person well, you don't notice the difference."

Harry was surprised, "You were adopted? When?"

Sirius sighed, "When I ran away from home, I was in a bad shape, and my mother was doing everything in her power to make sure I stayed that way. You grandparents, who were like parents to me by that point anyway, adopted me so my mother had no say in what I was doing or what was going on in my life. Of course, the stupid woman forgot to actually disown me on any sort of document so I got everything belonging to the Blacks. Anyway, when I was sent to Azkaban, Fudge ordered the adoption papers to be vetoed and destroyed. So I may now possess the Potter genes but I'm not technically your uncle, your grandparent's son or your father's brother. Understand?"

Harry nodded, "The Ministry really screwed you over didn't they."

Sirius smirked bitterly, "Yes they did. Which is why, once I'm cleared (which will be very quickly) I'm going to tell them to annul that stupid werewolf law stating that they can't be married and let me and Remus adopt you and Hermione without a fuss and with a hurry or I'll be suing all their arses before they can say 'justice'."

Harry snickered, "You're blackmailing the Ministry? That's brilliant."

Remus grinned, "Yes well. Do you understand now how the adoption works? Are you still wanting this?"

"Yes." Harry nodded vigorously.

Sirius smiled softly, "Good." He glanced at his watch. "Wow. It's noon already. We should get the kids here for lunch." He waved his wand at the parchments and banished them to his room. "What would you like to eat, baby boy?"

Harry shrugged, "Anything is good. If you two don't need wands, then why do you use them still?"

Remus explained while Sirius headed upstairs to get the teenagers, "We have to. Well, I choose to. The Ministry doesn't take kindly to the fact that I'm an Elemental werewolf and, while they can't do anything about it, I'd like to avoid more confrontation then what I already face. Daddy, however, is only beginning to retrain his Magic. He'll stop using his wand soon enough. Meanwhile, it's a bit too dangerous to go wandless since you lot are in the house and his Magic went wild while left untrained in Azkaban."

Harry shook his head, "Stupid Ministry."

Remus smirked, "Indeed."

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Around 9 o'clock in the evening and, after giving Harry his potion, Remus and Sirius were heading to bed.

"Are you nervous?" Remus asked, already knowing the answer, as he changed into his pajamas. "Big day tomorrow."

Sirius shrugged, sliding into his side of the bed, "No reason to be nervous."

Remus smirked while he joined him, "But you are nervous." He replied, taking Sirius into his arms.

"Yes." Sirius sighed and tucked his head into his husband's neck, "I'm nervous."

Remus kissed him softly, trying to reassure him, "Everything will be okay. You'll see. I think, for once, everything will go our way."

Sirius looked at him then kissed him back a bit more passionately, "I love you." He whispered into the blonde's mouth, "Love me?"

Remus rolled on top of him, savoring the answering soft moan, "Always."

And after making love to his mate, while they were sweaty and sticky and cuddling deliciously against each other, Remus truly believed that everything would go according to plan tomorrow.

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A/N: -tentatively comes out of her hiding hole- Um… Hi? Okay, please don't kill me. I know it's been a year since I've updated this but…. Yeah, I have no excuses. I lost inspiration for it for a really long while and have just recently gotten my spark back. I'll be trying to update often but we'll see : ) I really love you all for still adding me to your favorites and story alerts and such even though I went into hibernation for awhile.

On another note: OHMYGOD! … That's as close to smut as I have ever gotten. And to post it too! I'm so shameless. XD I blushed furiously while writing this because, while I have written riskier things before, I've never posted something like this. –giggles immaturely—

PLEASE REVIEW! Clicky on the pretty green letters please!


	12. Plans, Trials, and Heartbreaks

Disclaimer: They are not mine. And if they were, I would treat them a lot better than that meany J. does.

A/N: I tried to send this to my beta but he has disappeared. Where are yoooou?!?!?!

July 29th

Sirius's Trial

4:39 a.m.

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Sirius grumbled as he swatted away at whatever was insistently blowing on his ear. He got a chuckle in response and the continuation of the gentle wind against his face. Begrudgingly, he peeled opened his eyes and looked at the person who was so tenderly waking him and smiled softly as he turned to face his husband.

"Hi." He said, voice still husky from sleep. He stretched, running a hand down his face in an effort to will away drowsiness, "What time is it?"

Remus smiled back, "Twenty till five." He replied, "Time to get up. We have to be at the Ministry by 7, remember?"

Sirius groaned, "How could I forget?" He took a deep breath, desperately trying to soothe the sudden butterflies in his stomach.

Remus ran a hand through the brunet's messy bed hair, "It'll be okay. We have the memories we need collected and ready to be seen. Pettigrew will be under Veritaserum most of the time anyway, as will you. And after you are cleared, we'll have more than enough power to pull strings to make sure Harry and Hermione's adoptions go through without a fuss." He smiled reassuringly and pulled Sirius into his arms, "And tomorrow, we'll get up, have breakfast, and then proceed to move into our new home." He felt a triumphant feeling as Sirius's lips turned up slightly, "Our home, Siri; with our kids and their friends. With easily enough space for each one to have a bedroom, not to mention each bedroom comes with a bathroom." He used his finger to turn Sirius's head towards him, "Not a house, like this is. A home; a place where our kids know they are always welcome; and, once things settle down, a place for us to… extend… our family."

Sirius sat up fully and turned his body to his husband, "Extend our family, huh? And how exactly will we be doing that?" He asked, amused. He chuckled as Remus raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, yeah." He bit his lip and looked down for a second, a thought coming into his head. He looked back up into the amber eyes he loved so deeply, "What if I can't?" He asked, running a nervous hand through his hair, "We don't really know the full extent of the damage Azkaban had on me." His throat started to close up as he looked desperately at his husband.

"Shh." Remus soothed him, pushing away his own anxiety at the thought. "I don't think there is any reason why you shouldn't be able to. We'll think about this another day. For now, we have to focus on the present."

Sirius closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "You're right." He rolled his eyes playfully, "You're always right."

They laughed softly and then got up to get a start on what would, no doubt, prove to be a very long day.

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6:30 a.m.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Remus asked as they put their dishes in the sink and started heading towards the fireplace. When he got the mumbled responses from the sleepy teens, he continued, "Alright. I'll go first. Harry, you come through with Mia after me. Daddy and Ron will follow you." He turned towards the teens that were staying behind, "Are you sure you'll all be alright?"

Neville nodded as Draco answered, "Yes. We'll be fine. Good luck." His eyes gleamed, "Make them sweat." He smiled at Harry one last time and turned to go back up the stairs.

Luna just looked at them with hazy blue eyes, smiling away. Neville just shrugged his shoulders and laughed slightly at the looks she was getting.

As they turned to follow Draco, Neville heard Ron's mutter, "I swear that girl is on something."

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded as Remus went through the floo.

As Sirius stepped through the fireplace he blinked, blinded by the flashes of photography. He pulled Harry and Hermione towards him and Remus, doing the same to Ron as he stepped through.

"Black, why did you do it?"

"What is your relationship with the Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Mr. Potter, did you know this man killed your family?"

"What is your statement on – "

"… the Ministry make such a grievous –"

"Why do you insist on your innocence?"

It continued on like this, the journalists following them until they reached the courtroom. They all sighed as they entered the waiting room, soaking in the silence as the heavily warded door closed. Sirius sat down and put his head in his hands as Remus hugged a pale Harry to his chest. They all sat in silence, nervously waiting for someone to come and get them so the trial could start. After twenty minutes of sitting in stillness that threatened to engulf everyone with its heaviness, the door leading to the court room opened. They all looked up and nodded at Tonks and Shacklebolt and Sirius stood up. He complied willingly as they took his arms for show, gently leading him ahead of all the others.

Sirius swallowed, trying not to let his anxiety show while the rest of the group went to sit behind the cold metal chair he had to sit in. He sat down without a fuss but jumped as the shackles attached to the chair leaped to restrain him tightly, the metal cutting into his skin. He heard Remus growl lowly and Hermione's gasp of incredulity while Dumbledore, as a part of the Wizengamot, stood up and glared at Fudge, who was sitting in a chair directly facing Sirius on the high altar where all of the Wizengamot were.

"I thought I told you that the restraints were not necessary Minister?" Dumbledore said somberly, but secretly delighting in the disobedience as it would give them yet another thing to use for blackmail.

Fudge scrunched his nose at the old wizard, twirling his bowler hat in his hands, "I will do as I see fit, Dumbledore. We have to take precautions if we are going to be forced to have this farce of a trial in the first place and I have already agreed that no Dementors be place for security. We all know it was Black who sold the Potters out 15 years ago; I don't know why you insisted in wasting everybody's time."

Sirius bit his tongue harshly to keep himself from making any comments and kept telling himself that there was a transcript that he was entitled to when the trial was over. He would get the last laugh in the end; he just had to be patient. If it was the last thing he did, he would see to it that Fudge was out of office by the end of the year if not sooner.

Fudge sighed, ignorantly exasperated, as he said, "Bring in Pettigrew. Let's get this over with."

Amelia Bones, head of the Law Enforcement department, spoke then, "We will be having a quite unusual trial this morning, Witches and Wizards. This trial hereby begins. The Ministry vs. Sirius Black as well as Sirius Black vs. Peter Pettigrew."

One of the doors slammed opened as Pettigrew was roughly shoved in by the Order's Aurors, Tonks's hair turning a blood red as she felt incredible anger towards the rat. Sirius tried frantically not to look in the traitor's direction, knowing he would lose his temper if he did. Instead, he took the time to look around the lower part of the altar, where spectators sat. He scanned the crowd, noticing that while Arthur and the kids were all there Molly was absent. _'It's for the best, I suppose.' _He thought to himself, imagining the fuss she would put up to one of her sons having to testify on behalf of the man she loathed so much. His eyes traveled on, pausing on his cousin's husband and a man who he had been close to once upon a time. Ted looked at him with a sort of smirk as he mouthed, 'They'll regret this.' The man looked around to make sure no one was looking and then looked back at Sirius and started to sign, knowing that, while it had been awhile, Sirius would be able to figure out what he was trying to say, 'Be a good, compliant little boy and get your revenge later. Be patient.' He smirked as he glanced down at his wife briefly, 'Be Slytherin.'

Sirius smirked a tad evilly as he nodded towards the man and turned back towards the front now that Pettigrew had been sat and shackled roughly 20 feet away from him. He closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them he was glad that his kids and Remus were sitting behind him because he knew that his eyes and face were devoid of any emotion. He looked like a cold-hearted bastard, he knew, and while that would not endear him to some of the members of the Wizengamot it was the only way he would be able to get through this without having a breakdown.

'_Let the games begin.' _He thought sardonically as Andy became Andromeda Black, bitch-Interrogator extraordinaire, and stood up from beside him, laying papers on the desk.

"The Defense would like to call Remus Lupin to the stand."

And although he wasn't sure what Andromeda was playing at, calling Remus up first, he knew that she was about to kick some ass and get some satisfying revenge on behalf of her little cousin.

As Remus sat down on the chair that was facing sideways Andromeda walked up.

"Do you swear to tell the truth and the whole truth until a time when a Wizengamot member demands you be placed under the truth potion?" She asked monotonously, having said this phrase many times over.

"I swear." He responded.

"State your name for the record."

"Remus John Lupin."

Andromeda nodded and started her interrogation, "Mr. Lupin is it fact that you are a werewolf?" She asked bluntly.

Gasps came from the audience members who didn't already know but he ignored them and, while giving Andromeda a questioning glace, responded, "Yes."

"And is it fact that my client, Sirius Black, is your mate?" She pressed.

"Yes."

Andromeda nodded, looking mockingly confused, "It is known fact that werewolves share a very deep bond with their mates, correct? A mind, soul, and body bond; a bond that allows you to communicate telepathically. A bond so deep that, if a mate deceives or otherwise betrays the werewolf, it is known to drive said werewolf into insanity, is it not?

Remus's lips twitched in mild irritation, "Yes, it is." He said wondering why she was attacking him.

"Would you explain to me, then, Mr. Lupin, why it is that you seem to be the only exception to that rule? My client allegedly betrayed you, did he not? Why is it that when you figured out that you were not going mad you did not demand a trial for my client? Surely you must have wondered?"

Remus furrowed his brows, "I did. Exactly a year after Lily and James's murders, I went to Minister Fudge requesting a trial. I was told by him personally that there were wards around Azkaban to block off the bond we share. I could not talk to Sirius telepathically and, since I clearly wasn't going mad, I assumed the wards were to block off mental bonds."

Andromeda smirked, just enough to let him know that he had played into her unannounced game perfectly, "I assure you, Mr. Lupin that there are no such wards around Azkaban."

Remus looked at her, stunned, as the audience murmured quietly. It was bittersweet, with a dash more bitter. On one hand, something must have been done to Sirius to block off their bond, and nothing good came out of that. But on the other hand, it was one more thing they had to lord over Fudge.

Andromeda walked over to the desk where a stupefied Sirius sat and picked up a piece of paper along with a memory vial, "Evidence A: This is a medical scan that was performed on my client 11 months after he escaped." She placed the paper in a tray which automatically copied enough for the Wizengamot and distributed them. "There are several horrifying things on this document including evidence of the Cruciatus curse being place upon my client during his incarceration. But what I want you to focus on, Witches and Wizards, is the charm that had been repeatedly placed upon Sirius Black at least once every year. _Mens Clausus_, also known as the mind blocking spell. This spell was originally invented for Aurors who were going on top secret missions so that, if they were caught, the information could not be obtained through Legilimancy. This spell has been known to be able to cause brain damage if placed upon an individual too often. I'm sure you agree with me that once a year every year for 12 years constitutes as 'too often'. This spell is also illegal to cast on a non consenting Magical Creature or their mate as per Article 7.3 of the Magical Creatures act of 1837." She paused to let the information sink in to all who were listening. "Evidence B: This is Remus Lupin's memory of the meeting with Minister Fudge." She emptied the vial into a pensieve that was charmed to project the memory in life size when prompted. "Is there any request to see the memory at this time?"

The Wizengamot was quiet for a second, Fudge looking deathly pale, before she continued.

"Very well." She said, looking extremely smug. "The defense rests, Wizengamot."

"Very well. Does anyone have any questions for our witness at this time?" Amelia asked, looking around. None spoke so she continued, "You may step down, Mr. Lupin."

Remus passed his mate, brushing a hand to his neck and taking a seat behind him.

Andromeda stayed standing and braced herself for the arguments that were going to break out with her next sentence, "The Defense calls to the stand Cornelius Fudge."

Some of the Wizengamot, including Madame Bones, shifted in their seats, interested in the turn of events.

"What a preposterous request!" Fudge roared while the spectators mumbled among themselves, "I will not be sitting in that chair like a common criminal!"

Madame Bones smirked slightly to herself, not quite sure what was going on but beyond amused at Fudge's expense anyway, "Yes you will, Minister. The Defense has called you as a witness and you _will_ comply or face expulsion from the Wizengamot."

Sirius watched, a little morbidly fascinated, as Fudge's face turned horribly purple in his rage. Fudge huffed furiously out the door that led to the stairs that took him to where Sirius and the rest were sitting. He momentarily wished that they had talked to Andy and gotten to know her strategy because, as amusing as the scene was, Sirius and the rest were feeling more or less completely baffled.

The Aurors and witnesses all hid smiles of satisfaction as Mme. Bones got her way and Fudge sat down nearly tipping the chair in his distaste.

Andromeda smirked at him evilly, "Do you swear to tell the truth and the whole truth until a time when a Wizengamot member demands you be placed under the truth potion?"

Fudge snarled, "I swear."

Andromeda merely raised an eyebrow, "State you name for the record."

"This is ridiculous!" Fudge spat, "We all know who I am. Get on with your damn questions so this can be over and that _thing_," he gestured over to where Remus was sitting, "can be thrown in a cell alongside his _mate_," he snarled in revulsion, "where they both belong."

Sirius forgot that he was supposed to be keeping composure for a moment and jerked against his shackles, growling, as almost everyone they knew cried out in outrage; Tonks's hair turned a violent purple as she slipped her wand out.

Madame Bones stood up, "That's enough!" She cried, her _Sonorus_ enhanced voice, echoing through the room, effectively shutting everyone up. She took the spell off and continued normally, "Cornelius Fudge, you would do well to mind your manners and be conforming when you are under the eyes of your people. You have no choice in matter now, however. I request Veritaserum to be brought in and administered to the witness on the stand."

"I second that request." Dumbledore said immediately.

"You can't do this! I am the Minister of Magic!" Fudge raged on as the potion was brought forward by Shacklebolt. "I will have you fired!" He said to the Auror attempting to administer the potion.

"One must question your reluctance, Minister." Dumbledore said lightly.

Fudge glared at him hatefully but settled down as it finally penetrated through his thick skull that important people were watching and took the potion.

Andromeda was looking thoroughly pleased with herself as she stepped up to the 'witness'. "State your name for the record." She said again.

"Cornelius Fudge." The man said hatefully.

"Minister," She began, truly mocking her witness now, "is it fact that you lied to Remus Lupin on the subject of the wards around Azkaban?"

Fudge was turning all sorts of new colors as he struggled not to answer, "Yes."

"And is it fact that you were the one who sent Sirius Black to Azkaban with no trial and no intention of ever granting him one?"

"Yes."

Andromeda faltered unnoticeably, clenching her jaw and turning to the Wizengamot, "Permission to treat the witness as hostile?"

Mme. Bones raised her eyebrow in surprise as her fellow Members shifted to the edge of their chairs, "Permission granted."

Andromeda whipped around to stare at her witness one more, "Did you arrest Sirius Black on November 1, 1981?"

"Yes." Fudge's eyes widened as the secret bit of information came out. He turned green as the questioning went on.

"Were you then or ever an Auror in position to make such an arrest?"

"No."

Andromeda paused for a second, making eye contact with Sirius to let him know things were about to get ugly, "Why did you make the arrest?"

"It was on orders."

Her Interrogator mask weakened slightly at the surprising answer. Everyone could see the wheels turning in her head as her eyes narrowed, "On. Whose. Orders?" She grinded out.

Fudge bit his lips together and started shaking his head frantically.

She slammed her hand on the desk in front of him, "_On whose orders?"_ She shouted in his face.

"Lucius Malfoy's!"

Everyone in the courtroom gasped, Sirius's face becoming incredibly bewildered.

"Were you working for the Ministry at that time?" Andromeda made an effort to go on with the interrogation.

"Yes." Fudge sighed, knowing his career was over from the moment he said the name.

"Was Lucius Malfoy in a position to give you or anyone orders at the Ministry?"

"No."

"Why did Malfoy want Sirius arrested?" She asked, some of the Interrogator's formality slipping in her rage.

"His son was next in line to receive the Black inheritance if Black was out of the picture- his brother had already died."

Eyes becoming wide with realization, Andromeda stepped up her viciousness.

"I know how the Black inheritance works, Fudge. The inheritance was to go to Sirius when Regulus Black died. Draco Malfoy was born and so the inheritance slipped down to him through Narcissa because my first-born was a girl. He would have gotten the inheritance once he was of age. There was no reason to get rid of Sirius Black- unless you and Malfoy knew something you shouldn't have known."

Fudge turned desperate, "I'll make your life hell you silly girl!"

Andromeda saw red, "Did you arrest Sirius Black with no legal orders or warrant?"

"Yes."

"Did you send him to Azkaban without a trial?"

"Yes."

"When Remus Lupin tried to demand a trial as was his mate's right, did you lie to him to cover yourself?" Andromeda started getting the whole story in her head as the fog cleared.

"Yes."

"Did you order _Mens Clausus _to be placed upon him once a year for the twelve years he was incarcerated?"

"Yes." The soon to be ex-Minister grinded out.

"Did you give your permission as Minister of Magic to the wizarding guards of Azkaban to torture and place illegal curses upon my client?"

"Yes. I even encouraged it."

Eyes were bouncing from interrogator to witness in growing horror. Sirius looked down in an attempt not to break down as he heard the truth.

"Was Lucius Malfoy paying you to do his deeds within the Ministry?"

"Yes."

"Did you refuse any of his payments?"

"No."

"Did he pay you to arrest my client?"

"Yes."

"Did he pay you to make sure he couldn't get a fair trial?" Andromeda raised her voice.

"Yes." Fudge's answers were becoming more and more mumbled.

"Did he pay you to have my client tortured?"

"No." Fudge answered, horrified at the turn of events, "I did that on my own will."

"Why did you want my client tortured?"

Sirius bent over as well as he could, nausea climbing, and he tried to control his breathing as Remus and his kids knelt down beside him in concern.

"Every time I saw his filthy face it reminded me of what would happen if the truth ever got out. He wasn't going mad by himself so I tried to help speed up the process." Fudge groused.

Sirius gagged dryly and everyone's eyes swam with tears as the injustice that was done to him became clearer than ever.

"Did Lucius Malfoy know Sirius Black was 6 weeks pregnant upon his arrest? Is that why he had him arrested? Because he knew that any son that Sirius had would automatically get the Black inheritance?"

"Yes."

Sirius's head snapped up at this information, confusion clear on his face. Remus looked at Sirius for an answer but got none.

"Did he pay you to cast the Abortion Curse on my client when his body didn't reject the child in Azkaban?"

"Yes."

"And did you?" She screamed, all resemblance of formality thrown out the window as she heard her daughter and Hermione start sobbing, "Did you cast the Abortion Curse on Sirius Black without his consent or knowledge? Did you?!"

"Yes!" Fudge yelled.

"What?" Sirius asked brokenly as he started hyperventilating.

Andromeda finally turned to her cousin, horror on her face as she realized he had no idea. She whipped around to face the Wizengamot, talking fast in her panic, "Permission for a recess. I didn't know he hadn't seen the Medical results! He didn't know! Please!" She begged, the Interrogator in her slipping fully away, as her husband ran down the steps, trying to get to the man who was nearly passing out shackled to the iron chair.

Chaos reared its head all around the audience as they took the information and Sirius's reaction in. Mme. Bones stood up, "Minister you will remove the charm." Fudge crossed his arms like a petulant child throwing a tantrum, "Fudge you will remove the shackles now! Fudge!" She yelled as the disorder around her reached a higher level while the Minister refused to acknowledge her order.

Sirius was now in near hysteria as the information truly sank in and he tried desperately to take in air as he heard Remus sob while the werewolf pulled uselessly at the charmed shackles.

Dumbledore stood up gravely and pointed his wand at the shackles, "_Compes Patefacio,"_ He aimed and watched as the shackles fell and Sirius fell into his husband's arms, clinging tightly as his knees started to give.

Harry tried desperately not to feel the horrors that were done to his father as he and the rest of the group plus Ted helped Remus take Sirius to the waiting room they occupied before.

As they disappeared, Mme. Bones cast _Sonorus_ on herself once more, "Order!" She called and watched as the witches and wizards that were in the courtroom settled down, many pale-faced.

Andromeda stood alone in the middle of the lower level, eyes closed and hands to her mouth as she fought the urge to run to her cousin and apologize with all she was worth.

"Mrs. Tonks," Mme. Bones called to the distraught woman, "I realize this is a hard time for you and your client." She sighed deeply and turned to the Members, "A request to put Peter Pettigrew under Veritaserum for questioning."

"Absolutely not!" Fudge roared once again.

Mme. Bones had reached the end of her rope, "Shut up, you pathetic maggot! You have no say over anything anymore! Aurors, take him to a waiting room."

Tonks smirked viciously "Gladly." She and Shacklebolt roughly took Fudge to a waiting room, everyone in the room turning a deaf ear to his protests.

Mme. Bones turned back to the Wizengamot, "My request?"

Griselda Marchbanks spoke, "Seconded."

Tiberius Ogden scoffed disbelievingly, "Thired!" He said regardless of the word not being a word at all, "I think we all agree it's about time we get to correcting our grave mistakes, Madame."

Mme. Bones nodded somberly, "The Wizengamot calls Peter Pettigrew to the stand under Veritaserum."

The forgotten rat trembled violently as he was fed the potion where he sat, not being able to go to the normal witness stand due to the shackles.

Andromeda looked at him, disgusted but sapped of energy and asked bluntly, "Are you a Death Eater?"

Pettigrew whimpered pathetically, "Yes."

"Were you Lily and James Potter's Secret-Keeper?"

Watery eyes shifter from side to side, "Yes."

"Did you share the Secret with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"Yes." He squealed.

Andromeda sneered at him, looking all the Black she was, "Did you frame Sirius Black for your crime?"

"Yes."

"Are you an Animagus?"

"Yes. I take the shape of a rat. That's how I got away and hid. I'd been hiding with the Weasley's as their pet rat until Sirius found me out and escaped."

Andromeda shook her head, "I won't even ask you why you did it, you filthy excuse for a human being." She turned to the Wizengamot and waited. Pettigrew started bawling loudly, pleading for forgiveness. One of the Witches of the Wizengamot simply waved her wand, silencing him.

Mme. Bones sighed once more, rubbing her forehead, "All in favor of clearing the charges against Sirius Black?" She raised her hand high and turned to see all of the Member's hands up, as any self-respecting person would have done at this point. She nodded, "Let it be known: All charges against Sirius Black are now cleared. He is a free man." She paused slightly, "Andromeda, give my deepest personal apologies to your cousin. Is there anything else we can do for him?"

The Interrogator composed herself and pulled out two folders, "Request for the law that states Werewolves cannot be allowed to marry or father/mother children to be revoked effective immediately."

Mme. Bones smiled slightly, "Amen." She turned to the Wizengamot, "All those in favor?" One by one all hands went up, those who had prejudices holding their tongues and complying, knowing Sirius could sue all their arses at the snap of his fingers. "Law 387 Article 7 is now revoked and vetoed."

Andromeda spoke once again, "Request for the Marriage of one Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin to be reinstated." She waited for Mme. Bones to do her part and smiled as all hands went up.

The Madame spoke, "Let it be known that Sirius Orion Black is now known once again as Sirius Orion Lupin, husband to one Remus John Lupin. That reminds me," She said, unexpectedly. She waved her want and a box appeared at Andy's feet. "His belongings. I peaked earlier. I do believe their wedding bands are in there."

The blonde smiled and nodded, randomly wondering why Remus's wedding band would have been with Sirius that day, "Request for the adoption of one Harry James Potter as per my client's rights as the child's Godfather." She put one of the folders in the self-copying tray, the folder contained proof of financial support as well as everything else requested.

"All those in favor?" The Head of the Law Enforcement department asked needlessly. All hands went up.

Andromeda continued, "Request for the adoption of one Hermione Jane Granger, recently orphaned."

Most were shocked at the request but none-the-less, all hands went up once more.

"Just stop by the Child Services and pick up the Documents and Potions, Andromeda. They documents will be ready and instructions on the potions will be attached." Mme. Bones stated as she looked pointedly at one of the junior members, who hurried to send a note to the branch.

Andromeda nodded and then paused looking at the last folder she had, "This last thing is not a request, Madame." She laid the folder on the tray, "The Ministry will leave the Lupin family and their affiliates alone. There will not be harassment of any kind from the Ministry towards any of them. Harry James Potter has been slandered all over The Daily Prophet- a Ministry newspaper. This will not be tolerated. They know you cannot stop any other newspaper or magazine from printing this rubbish, but they expect you to take control of what is being written in the Prophet." She stopped for a minute, watching them all squirm, "That will be all for now." She glanced at the Quick Quotes Quill and then looked up and the woman, "Off the record Madame?"

Mme. Bones nodded and waved her want at the quill, making it fall.

Andromeda smiled evilly, "I do believe Sirius Black now single handedly holds the most power over the Ministry. We all know he could sue the whole Ministry, and win. I suggest you don't piss him off. I strongly suggest you get rid of Fudge, and fast. It would also behoove you to make sure he gets his job back. For those of you who don't know he made Chief Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries when he was barely 19. I'm not saying to put him as Chief of course but I would make sure he's at least employed where he wants to be. You may not like it. You may hate him- but he holds power over you and let me tell you something, when Sirius is pissed, come hell or high water… he will get what he wants." Andromeda smiled mockingly sweet as she gathered her things, ignoring the still silently weeping rat, "Have a good day." She walked out into the waiting room.

With a sigh she dropped her things to the floor and fell into the arms of her waiting husband.

Sirius, now calmed down a bit, looked up at her with distraught and questioning eyes. He clenched his hands as Remus squeezed him slightly.

"You're free. It's over. I didn't stay to hear Pettigrew's sentence but I imagine he's going to Azkaban with Animagus Blocking spells on him, Albus will make sure of it. The Documents for the adoptions are all ready, I just need to go and pick them and the potions up and you guys can do the rest at home." She set the box down by where he was sitting on the floor and joined him, "Your belongings. Your marriage is also reinstated, the law vetoed."

Silence came down on the room, all feeling glad at the conclusion of events but too worn down to celebrate.

Sirius shook his head, "All of his… for money." His eyes filled with tears once more, "Money I had no interest in."

Andy nodded, cursing Lucius Malfoy's greed.

9:31 p.m.

Sirius's heart was more than breaking at the news that he had been pregnant when he was sent to Azkaban but he tried to push it away for the moment, instead finding the joy inside himself as he and Remus added their hairs to the potions in front of them. Harry and Hermione smiled and looked at each other before putting their own hairs in their respective potion and then downing it.

Remus and Sirius smiled as their children truly became _theirs_ right before their eyes.

Harry's face became a tad sharper, his jaw taking Sirius's jaw shape and his brow line mimicking Remus's. He looked towards Hermione and watched as her hair lightened just enough to match Remus's color and calming to large curls instead of her usual tight ones, her ears elongating just a bit also taking Remus's genes.

Excited silence fell over the four of them and then Harry turned to Hermione, "You're blonde!"

Hermione looked at him and pulled hair forward, "That's different." She shook her head, experimenting, "Where did the curls come from?"

Their parents smiled softly at them, loving their reactions.

"From me." Sirius spoke, waving his wand and removing the charm he usually wore on his hair to make it straight. His dark locks compacted to match the large curls that Hermione now sported.

Hermione smiled widely, swallowing her sadness at what they found out today. She looked at her brother and touched his brow before shifting her eyes to their now legal parents and back again, giving him a signal. Synchronized they both jumped on the adults, laughing and cackling as they almost fell.

10:37 p.m.

Sirius dumped out the box he had received onto their bed. He was wrapped in a soft robe, having taken a shower a few minutes before, and now sat with his once-again legal husband as they looked through the stuff; for now ignoring the neon pink elephant in the room.

He scanned the things that were taken away when he was arrested. Pocket money, a watch that Mr. Potter had given him the day he was adopted, the robes he had been wearing, a binky that belonged to Harry that was left at their home when they were babysitting. And their wedding bands. It had been a full moon that night and Sirius had taken to wearing Remus's wedding bands so they wouldn't be lost. He had forgotten to give it back the next morning. He picked them up now, admiring the rings he knew so well. He looked up at Remus and took his left hand. Looking into his eyes, Sirius knew he didn't have to say anything as he placed Remus's engagement ring and wedding band back on his finger. Sirius's heart clenched as Remus did the same to him, weirdly remembering why they both had engagement rings,

"_Only if you'll marry me…"He had laughed as he pulled out a little velvet box that matched the one Remus was holding"_

Gods. If he only had known then. He opened his eyes, not remembering when he had closed them and looked again at Remus. Remus lower lip trembled as tears started to form in his eyes. Sirius shook his head, wordlessly telling him that if he were to cry, there would be no hope for Sirius himself. But Remus's tears couldn't be stopped and as the first one fell Sirius let go of the sobs he had been holding in. He cried into his mate's robe as Remus did the same.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said hoarsely through his sobs, "If I had known-"

Remus pulled away sharply and took his face in his hands, "It is not your fault. Do you he-hear me?" He said still crying.

Sirius just looked down, his sobs shaking his body as they both collapsed on the bed, crying themselves to sleep, clutching each other desperately. They hadn't known it then but the truth hurt even more now. Involuntary, cruelly, as it was, even though they hadn't known.

They had lost a child. And they were realizing that there was no pain that could compare.

A/N: Well then…. Honestly have no idea where that came from. Yikes. It just comes to me as I write it people. Lol. This chapter was a bit down wasn't it? Hmm… Anyhoo! Hope you liked! Wonder what's going to happen next !! XD Clicky on the pretty green letters. Hearts to everyone!


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